Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon
by Syrenia
Summary: ‹Post-game; Pairings Inside; Looking for something without yaoi/yuri? This is yaoi/yuri-free, folks!› A girl from another world is literally dropped into the Okage world and slowly learns of some of the people in it and why she was brought there.
1. Welcome Back To The Beginning

**Title:** Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon  
**Subject:** Okage: Shadow King  
**Genres:** Romance/Drama  
**Sub-genres:** General

**Main Pairings:** One-sided Ari/Marlene, one-sided Ari/OC, Stan/OC  
**Other Pairings:** One-sided Linda/Epros, one-sided Linda/Big Bull

**Summary:** A girl from another world is literally dropped into the Okage world and slowly learns of some of the people in it and why she was brought there.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Okage: Shadow King/Boku to Maoh or any of its characters. The game and its characters are copyright their respective owners and/or creators. Any OCs you encounter are mine along with the plot. Thank you.

* * *

**A/N:** If the story's OC seems like a Mary-Sue, I'm sorry. I'm not the best writer ever, but I'm trying my best.

This was spawned from a character I somewhat role-play on a message board.

At first she was just a character I played that somehow met Stan (who pops up on the message board, played by myself), but she became a part of me because I act as her often and visit that message board frequently.

In fact, my mind has wrapped itself around the part so tightly that I feel at one with my character when I go there.

Because of all this, she and I are very similar and she's like another self to me, as crazy as it may seem. So the reason I'm writing this is because I wanted to write the story of how she met with Stan and what happened in that time.

You certainly don't have to like it or even read it, but I thought I'd place it here just in case it grabbed the interest of any Okage fans. (God knows we need all the fan fiction we can get if you're like me and have a craving for Okageness of all kinds.)

Lastly, it may seem like I'm trying to bring the same kind of goodness the game brought, but I'm not. I know that I can't match that level, so I'm staying with what I can do. I find that different ways of telling and delivering a story are actually nice to have, each fanfiction a little piece of the self in some form.

Well, this is another piece of me…

* * *

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Prologue - Welcome Back To The Beginning**

* * *

A few years had past since Stan, Ari, Rosalyn and the rest of the group had gone on their journey, ridding the world of Classification.

Now, Big Bull was the owner of a fitness club in the old dungeon, the Big Tree Hole, that the team had found him in. Kisling was a well-known scholar who'd written many books on ghosts and even an autobiography. Linda was "dating" Epros, both of whom were working in Bloc's circus.

As for Ari, he was still living with his family, he and Marlene dating, although she'd left to "find herself" a year and a half ago.

And then there was Rosalyn who was still a hero, her main concern now being the pursuit of Evil King Stan, though the demon always seemed to be one step ahead of her.

Lastly, there was Stan, the Great Evil King, who had gradually built a name for himself, destroying cities here and there just to boost recognition by the people he would one day rule.

But, although he had become more like an Evil King, he still remained the same Stan that Ari and the gang knew. He still wanted to rule the world, thought Ari was a useless slave and found it evil to remove the welcome mat from people's doorsteps so they couldn't wipe the dirt off their shoes.

In fact, he'd pretty much left Ari alone. He only popped up once in a while to check up on his property, though he swore it was simply that he'd been in town and decided to drop in and see if he could have some of Mrs. Overshadow's delicious omelettes.

As his Evil Butler, James, had said, they really _were_ good omelettes.

Most of the time, however, Stan was wondering across their world, and even through the Transverse Tunnel, seeking anything to help him in his goal of world conquest.

Nothing had really proven worthy of pursuit, but he also pillaged along the way, building up his reputation.

Whenever he spotted an evil deed just waiting for his masterful hand to see it through beautifully, he would take the opportunity, finding it hard to say "no" to such a thing.

* * *

Hot on his trail, Rosalyn was almost always following steps behind him, her shadow still what she considered an unflattering fluorescent pink.

She swore she'd have Stan change it back and that she would defeat him, yet she couldn't seem to keep up, only actually seeing him once in a while.

On the off chance she saw him, the two would battle, name-calling the main event.

And although she won a few, she also _lost_ a few, retreating hastily. She never seemed to realize that the more she battled him, the stronger he became against her with the experience.

The battles gave him a good idea of her usual attacks and, though he didn't let on, he recognized how redundant all of her moves really were.

Becoming more familiar with her technique with every fight, he slowly became a tougher opponent.

Even so, Rosalyn was blinded by her rage, wanting to vanquish the Evil King and say goodbye to her pink shadow once and for all.

The parasol-wielding hero following him constantly, those who noticed the trend swore she was obsessed with defeating him, blind to anything else. And such was _true_, though she didn't listen to any of it, hell-bent on destroying Stan.

Every town she entered seemed to either know she would be there soon beforehand or understood she must be after the Evil King.

* * *

As of now, Stan was wandering around near Triste, finally having heard promising tales of something that might aid his world conquest.

Lately, in not only Triste but also a few other towns, a rumor had been flying around about the statue opposite the one that was the entrance to the Transverse Tunnel.

It had been said that a _key_ was all it took to open the door there, leading to what was said to be another world.

However, it was _also_ said that the key had been long lost and the entrance was shut tight.

No one believed the rumors enough to seek out this key and open the door save the Evil King who thought it couldn't hurt to look.

* * *

At the moment, Stan was thinking of places the key might be as he walked about in the snow. He couldn't think of a single place he hadn't already looked, though, beginning to think the rumors were just that - _rumors_.

As he walked across the snow, racking his brain for somewhere to look, he folded his arms behind his head.

After a few steps, however, a tiny sound pricked Stan's pointed ear.

Instantly, he knew what it was, sneering before he shouted, "Thatta girl, fat legs! Break a twig and give yourself away!"

Rosalyn fumed, stomping out from her hiding place, "Damn you, you stupid Evil King!"

He huffed a laugh, still standing with his back to her.

"Fix my shadow, you damn _jerk_!"

Stan sighed, arms falling to his sides as he turned to face her, "Now, why would I want to do a thing like that?"

He smirked at her brief look of puzzlement, "I prefer being stalked by an incompetent _hero_ all day to touching the likes of _you_, pork chop."

"Why, you--!"

Whipping out her rapier, the hero ran at him, Stan sneering and standing firmly in place.

As she neared him, only feet away, he sidestepped, hands gathering energy.

Soon Rosalyn was dodging orb after orb of dark magic, another of their pointless battles ensuing.

On the one hand, Stan knew it was pointless, but on the other, it was good practice and a way to learn just how to use her own moves against her.

* * *

Whilst the two fought in the middle of the snow, unawares of all but the battle on their hands, something strange was about to occur _elsewhere_. It was to happen right in the Rumille Plains, just past the Transverse Tunnel they'd crossed to reach their location.

But what was to occur there did not _start_ in the Rumille Plains.

What was soon to happen began from within another world _entirely_.

And that other world was just beyond the door of the second statue that lay across from the door to the Transverse Tunnel...


	2. The Beginning

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter One - The Beginning**

* * *

Katrina Kaye was an ordinary young woman in her world on a planet known as Earth.

Currently twenty years old, soon to be twenty-one, she was fairly tall and thin, though a little curvy.

She had just moved to a place called England from somewhere known as Texas, now standing near a monument of some sort.

Long and straight, her dark brown hair reached the middle of her back, bangs grown out. As of now, it lightly danced on the breeze as her deep blue eyes took in the sight around her.

All around her, grass swayed in the wind, her eyes set on the destination she'd been anxious to reach for days now - Stonehenge.

In her world, Stonehenge was a place where many rocks had been placed neatly, the reasons why not concerning her. Katrina had always been drawn to the supernatural, ghosts and even djinn taking her interest. Stonehenge seemed somewhat mysterious and exciting, and the young woman couldn't believe she was there.

Her parents, however, were still slightly groggy. They'd made plans that meant being there around morning - 5:30 AM as it were in their world - but Katrina didn't mind at all.

The best part of their trip was that they had access to the inner circle of the stone ring which was normally off limits, Katrina soon coming to stand in the middle and gaze around in awe.

At the moment, she was the only one in the center, but she felt as if something or someone were near her, the young woman looking around.

Standing still, she thought she heard a strange voice. It seemed to carry on the wind, Katrina compelled to gaze up into the sky.

She could once again hear a voice which seemed to be calling out to her, the girl's breath still as thunder was heard in the distance.

Sudden storm clouds were gathering, a gentle rain starting to fall.

"Katrina," the voice summoned again.

Looking around, the brunette couldn't see anyone, a thick fog surrounding the circle.

"Who... Who's there?" she asked hesitantly.

Unanswered, she looked above, a flash of lightning tearing through the skies.

In a flash, what felt like a blast of wind came up from beneath her, forming a small circle around her body.

Gasping, she heard what she thought were distant shouts, a blinding white and golden light shooting up from below.

Unable to see anything, Katrina's eyes were barely open, her arm rising to shield them moments before she felt the earth under her seemingly vanish.

Falling into darkness, she looked up, seeing the fading light of her world as she tumbled down, the light gradually fading away as she fell further and further.

* * *

Just as she was beginning to wonder if it would ever end, Katrina felt herself floating, the darkness that had surrounded her seemingly retreating upward and vanishing above her.

She now saw the ceiling of a stone room, glancing to the floor.

Still floating, she turned her body so that her feet were more aligned with the ground below, finding them barely above it as she slowly floated down.

Now that she stood, the woman glanced around, noticing torches on the walls as they flickered.

Turning her sight up to where she had fallen from, she found nothing but the top of a solid stone ceiling.

Looking forward again, Katrina noticed a door that held a bit of light behind it, though she looked behind herself first.

"Wh-Where _am_ I?" her voice slightly echoed as she returned her gaze to the door.

Seeing no other way out, she walked to it, opening it without caution. She seemed not to be afraid, but rather curious, walking through the door and shutting it behind her.

It was merely habit to shut doors behind her, Katrina laughing a little at herself.

Sighing lightly, she wondered where she was and what was there, not to mention how she had gotten to her location in the _first_ place.

Walking down a small case of steps into what appeared to be a short tunnel, she squinted a little, seeing light ahead, though it looked blocked by another door.

As she walked forward, she noticed the light was brighter than it had been behind the other door, thinking it was likely the way out.

After a short walk, she reached a few steps, walking up to the door and finding it had no handle.

"Hmm... Does this mean I'm _stuck_ here?"

Placing her hands to the door, she looked up it, smirking, "Of _course_ not. In every story I've ever read, no one is ever transported to some mysterious place only to be stuck in a dead end room..."

Huffing a laugh as she pressed hard to the door, she continued to talk to herself, "But then again, there'd be no _story_ to tell if that happened..."

Finding it useless to push on the door, she stood back, staring at it in thought.

"As long as I'm stuck here, I might as well try to figure out a way to open this door... Even if it _isn't_ going to open, I'd still just be waiting to die anyway."

Katrina seemed uncaring to the fact - sort of apathetic - though she simply knew one simple truth: what will be will be.

"Maybe there's a switch of some sort," she thought out loud, eyes scanning over the wall.

Searching around the door, she found nothing, but noticed a rather large, sturdy bone on the floor beside the stair steps.

Going down the steps and over to the bone, she picked it up. The young woman felt it over, nodding to herself as she went back to the door and wedged the bone into the crack where the light poured through, trying to use it to pry the door open.

After many tries and one more desperate heave, she shoved hard, the bone cracking in half, but the door also coming loose.

"Whew... That took some work."

Pulling on the side of the door, she finally made it move so that she could slip through one side, though right now, the light of the outside world was somewhat harsh.

After getting used to the light again, she saw what seemed to be a desert, Katrina walking out onto the sand.

Directly in front of her was a large statue, the young woman walking closer to it, though she stopped and turned around, seeing she had just walked out of a statue just like it.

Noticing a green color to her side, she looked off, seeing a rather drastic change in terrain not all that far from her.

"Interesting," she muttered, though a sound from behind startled her.

Before she had time to move, someone, or _something_ for all she knew, was coming from the statue behind her.

As it came out, she turned, face-to-face with a woman who wore a strange, brown belt on her head with a golden buckle.

The woman looked back at her, looking over her attire just as Katrina did the same to her.

In the woman's hand, she held up a pink parasol, her other hand lightly resting to the hilt of her weapon, a rapier.

Her hair, a slight dirty blonde, was short, her bangs covering one eye from view, her visible eye golden, though both unlike Katrina's.

Each looked strange enough to the other, but Katrina hadn't realized her appearance had somewhat changed, adapting to this new world.

Now, Katrina's eyes were more like the woman's, though the same color as before, her hair the same as well. However, two, grown out front bangs were now a dark blue, one framing each side of her face, unbeknownst to her.

And even still, the two remained silent, looking over one another curiously.

Katrina's clothing, though it looked like it belonged in the world she now found herself in, was simply _strange_ to the parasol-wielding woman because it was unlike anything she had ever seen in way of style.

The girl before her was wearing long, dark blue jeans with slits here and there, one on her left pant leg at the middle of the lower leg and one on the knee of her right pant leg.

The bottom linings of each leg were worn out and frayed a bit, somewhat covering a pair of black sneakers, dark blue streaks on the sides of each shoe.

The blonde-haired woman then looked to the waist of Katrina's pants, then up a bit to see the girl's skin and her belly button which was slightly covered by the bottom-lining of her top.

Looking to the girl's shirt, she found it had short sleeves and was black with dark blue wording on the front of the chest that read, "Rock on!"

As the woman looked closer, she also noticed something slightly hanging, seeing a sliver chain going from one of the girl's front pockets to a back pocket.

Turning her attention to an item in her pocket, she saw what looked like fabric, seeing another like it on the girl's right hand.

It was a black, fingerless glove, starting at the wrist and going down clean, though ending a bit below the knuckles.

The material of it appeared somewhat hard and soft, as a mix of leather and fabric of some sort.

Looking back to the girl's face, the woman noticed a lack of makeup, Katrina's lips rather lush unlike most inhabitants of her world and her features showing no need for cosmetics.

And then she noticed the girl had a bag, one strap over her shoulder.

It looked like she'd journeyed from a far away land, bag plump with what the blonde surmised were supplies.

Then, realizing the silence, she walked forward, her cautious hand leaving the tip of her rapier's handle.

"Your clothes... seem different," the blonde noted in a cautious tone.

The woman then stopped and apologized, "I'm sorry. My name is Rosalyn, the Great Hero."

Rosalyn then extended her hand, Katrina taking it and shaking hands.

"My name's..."

Katrina suddenly realized she'd forgotten her name, knowing she remembered it back in the tunnel.

"I... I can't remember," she admitted, Rosalyn looking slightly worried.

The hero asked, "Are you lost?"

"I _guess_ you could say that," the other woman replied, pointing to the statue behind her. "I somehow got here through some sort of... _portal_, I guess... It dropped me in a room that led to a tunnel and, when I busted the door open, I ended up here."

She looked around a bit, "And this, I know, isn't my home... In fact, I think I'm from an entirely different world altogether."

At that, she smirked a tad helplessly, Rosalyn nodding.

"I see," replied the hero. "So you're stranded here?"

The brunette nodded, "Looks like."

"Well, is there some name you could go by?"

Looking off, the girl seemed to rattle her brain, somehow remembering her nickname from her world.

"Back in my world, I have a nickname," she informed the other woman. "It's Navy Blu. N-a-v-y B-l-u."

Nodding, Rosalyn smiled lightly, "Well then, welcome to my homeworld, Miss Blu."

Navy smiled, "Please, just Navy. And thank you... It's nice to have found someone friendly around here first thing."

Rosalyn smiled wider, patting the hilt of her rapier, "Especially a hero! Around here, you might need me to accompany you for a while... After all, my world has evil in it just like any other, I'd assume."

* * *

After a moment of talking, Rosalyn and, by her newfound, perhaps temporary name, _Navy_ began walking to a village Rosalyn referred to as Tenel.

During their walk, Rosalyn explained about the resident Evil King, telling Navy her sad tale and even revealing her pink shadow.

Navy sympathized, saying her shadow didn't change who Rosalyn was, so it seemed strange to hear that her peers took it so badly.

Saying she wished they thought the same way, Rosalyn felt a kinship to the girl, getting along quite well with her. And after a while of sitting in the bar at Tenel and talking, she even asked what Navy thought of becoming her apprentice.

* * *

"_Me_, your _apprentice_? I don't even know if I can _fight_ well," Navy pointed out apprehensively, sipping the drink Rosalyn had bought her.

"All heroes have to start _somewhere_," Rosalyn replied. "And I know you're new to this world, so you could use the training, don't you think?"

Navy agreed with a thoughtful nod.

The hero added, "I feel we get along well, so it seems we would both benefit from the deal... I'd have a companion and you'd learn to battle."

For the first time in so long, Rosalyn had turned her attention from hunting down the Evil King, a smile replacing the usual scowl on her lips.

"Alright," Navy conceded. "You've got yourself an apprentice."

The two clicked their glasses together in toast to the new partnership, sipping the last of their drinks.

And thus was the beginning of a strange tale...


	3. Black Cat Claws

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Two - Black Cat Claws**

* * *

Not long after meeting Ari and his family and touring the world, Rosalyn and Navy were walking to Rashelo, the hero recounting her tale of when she had joined Ari and their friends to save the world.

Explaining Classification, Rosalyn's curiosity sparked, "Navy?"

Navy looked over to her, "Yes?"

"I was wondering... Does your world have Classification?"

Looking ahead, Navy smirked, "In a way... But it's not as powerful as what you described."

"Oh?"

The brunette nodded, "It's more like how this world is now... People in my world are sometimes labeled, depending on what they dress like or have a liking to, like music genres."

"Genres?" questioned the confused heroine.

Clearly the word had never been heard in this world, Navy laughing a bit.

"Genres are just names for the types of music there are."

Rosalyn nodded, surprisingly fascinated with Navy's world.

"So, anyway," Navy continued, "some people listen to dark music and wear dark, or black clothing, being labeled a "goth." So, in my world, KT from Triste; she'd probably be labeled a goth."

"I see," Rosalyn replied, taking in the information. "But how does this differ, truly, from Classification?"

Navy smirked, thinking the two systems so alike it was uncanny, but replied quickly, "The labels people have in my world are just given by other people... They don't really have any power unless people _give_ them that power."

Understanding, Rosalyn nodded, "So it's a lot like Classification, but it has no higher power."

"Right," Navy agreed, giving a firm nod.

"I can't help thinking that the two systems are rather alike, though," Rosalyn mused, her apprentice agreeing once more.

* * *

Four months later, Navy had learned a good deal about fighting from Rosalyn, even praised on being a quick study. But then there were times she became curious of magic, Rosalyn mentioning how Navy seemed to be unable to reach that part of herself.

Today, however, was different, and Rosalyn was surprised to see her wield the beginnings of ice magic.

After this incident, Navy learned more and more about magic, soon handling her newfound ice magic quite well, Rosalyn surprised at just how quickly her new apprentice was learning.

Her new student hadn't surprised her for the last time, however...

Soon after figuring out how to use magic, Navy found she could not only use ice, but fire and thunder magic as well, Rosalyn telling her she must be neutral, just like Ari.

But the real surprise was yet to come, the two soon finding Navy in tune with a whole new element.

She could use what was easily decided as water magic.

Now Rosalyn could see that whatever had once blocked the girl from using magic had completely gone, opening her to not only magic, but whole new types.

How it was possible, neither knew, nor did they seek answers for it. It was best left as simply being so, Navy soon finding not even Rosalyn could access this new magic.

She felt strange for it, though Rosalyn insisted it was a wonderful gift, saying it would help defeat evil.

At the mention of defeating evil, however, Navy felt strange, though she never told this to Rosalyn, not wanting to seem ungrateful for all the training she'd been given.

* * *

Today, two weeks later, Navy felt as if there was something she was forgetting, able to recall after a few hours of puzzlement that it was, in fact, her birthday.

After Rosalyn got the news out of her, there was a small party at Ari's house, Ari and his family there with Rosalyn.

It really meant a lot to her, Navy rather homesick, but she felt as if she had family there now, telling them so once she got up the courage.

Agreeing with her, Ari's dad chimed in, saying, "We're all family, by blood or by bond!"

"That's right, son," Ari's grandfather concurred.

As usual, the elder man's wife agreed, "Uh-huh, uh-huh... That's right, honey."

Ari's mom then hugged Navy, as happy as a clam, "Another daughter! ...You've already _felt_ like one!"

Ari and the rest laughed at his mother's enthusiasm, Navy blushing slightly from all the attention...

"Oh!" Rosalyn jumped up from where she sat in the Overshadow's living room. "I almost forgot!"

Navy blinked, wondering what she was talking about.

"I have a _gift_ for you," the heroine announced, going out of the room a few minutes before walking back in with a new weapon. "This is one-of-a-kind and was made just for you by the owner of Tinker, the weapons shop..."

In her hands were two odd contraptions, Navy looking at them curiously.

"I asked him to make a weapon for you... I was lucky they were done by today," Rosalyn said with a smile. "He made them just for you after watching you battle... He said you were his inspiration."

"Cool," Navy whispered in awe, the others laughing a bit.

"From watching you battle, he was inspired to make _these_," Rosalyn told the brunette, handing them to her. "He said he calls them Black Cat Claws."

Looking them over, Navy saw the silver weapons shine. They were each made to attach to the wrist, her fingers working them slowly to end where the blades folded bit by bit. Once finished, they were left at the bracelet portion, simply looking like three boxes attached to a bracelet.

"Wow," she muttered, Ari agreeing with the sentiment.

Rosalyn smiled once more, "He said to use them, all you have to do is hit the switches together, then make a fist and flick your wrists out to the side... And when you're not near danger, you pull out the small cube switches on the sides as you make fists. The blades will fold up on their own nicely if you do that so that you won't have to fold them yourself next time."

Everyone listened, Navy nodding as she did so, Rosalyn then continuing the instruction, "They can't be pressed down by anything but the other switch, which is what these small markings are."

The hero pointed out the marking, "Those are magic crests that make it possible."

"So to push them down again, I have to press both together," Navy repeated, mostly to make sure she understood.

"Right," confirmed the hero. "This won't trigger the blades, but when you flick your wrists to the side, they'll work."

Navy nodded, the blonde remembering one last thing, "Also, the blades won't react if your hands aren't made into fists... There's magic symbols on the undersides of each blade to make them that way."

Fitting both on, Navy pulled out the other's switch, hugging Rosalyn, "These are _great_, Ros. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Rosalyn replied, happy to hear she liked them.

Ari then walked over, "So why did he call them Black Cat Claws?"

"He said that as he watched her battle, he saw the form of a black cat, her techniques cat-like and her looks mysterious as if she's not of this world," explained Rosalyn. "Of course, I had to remind him she really _isn't_."

He nodded, Navy smirking, "A _cat_, eh?"

Rosalyn and Ari looked to her, Navy meowing and pawing the air before laughing a bit with them.

"Well... At least he didn't see the form of a _Compassion Crab_ or something," replied Ari, Navy laughing lightly.

"I guess you're right," she agreed thoughtfully, touching her new weapons. "But hey, let's go try these babies out!"

Rosalyn nodded, Ari coming along, the three venturing out into the yard.

"Let's not play too rough, though," Ari cautioned. "It _is_ just in front of my house here."

Both agreed, readying to fight, Navy balling her hands into fists. Raising her arms, she made an 'x' to hit the switches together, then, thrusting both arms to the side carefully, the blades sprung into action.

She then called out in warning, "Ready or not, here I come!"

With that, Navy ran at Rosalyn, the blades of her new weapon catching the hero's rapier and, with a simple twist of the wrist, pinning it for a few moments.

Leaving plenty of time for Navy to point the other hand's blades where Rosalyn was unprotected, the fight was already won, Rosalyn impressed at the efficiency of the weapon.

"Wow," Ari muttered, also impressed. "Short fight."

They each laughed a bit, both combatants agreeing with the boy's assessment.

"These are really great," said Navy as she made fists before pulling out the switches.

In mere seconds, the blades folded themselves, coming to rest as Ari looked impressed once more.

"Cool," he said, Navy nodding in agreement.

* * *

Going back inside, Navy then decided she'd spend the night at the hotel in Tenel, telling everyone goodbye after eating dinner with them.

Rosalyn declined going to the hotel, though, saying she had business in Madril, leaving Navy to herself for a while.

'_I'm happy to have friends here, but... I really miss my family,_' she thought, walking from Ari's house to Tenel. '_Well, my family back __**home**__ anyway..._'

When she reached Tenel, she stopped in Tinker to thank the man who'd made her weapons, then went to the bar, sitting on a stool.

'_I'm twenty-one already,_' Navy thought with a sigh. '_I missed my birthday back home..._'

Speaking to the bar keeper, she got a glass of ale, the taste of which she'd grown accustomed to.

'_I'm actually drinking __**ale**__ in this world, mom,_' she thought, as if speaking to her mother whom she dearly missed. '_It's strange, but here, I'm not underage even when I was only twenty._'

She sighed, still lost in her thoughts as she watched the brew in her mug.

'_Would you be angry?_' she pondered silently. '_Probably._'

At this, she smirked, taking another swig.

'_But I never get drunk, of course,_' the woman reasoned, her thoughts then shifting. '_And through all of this, mom, I feel I've grown up a good bit from the person I was back home._'

Licking the ale from her lips, she smiled, feeling nostalgic.

'_Back then, I wasn't strong, and I never would have __**dreamed**__ I could use magic like I do now,_' she mused. '_But __**now**__ look at me. I'm a good fighter, and I've practically __**mastered**__ magic, so __**Rosalyn**__ says._'

Her eyes saddened, '_But I'd rather be back home, mom... because I miss you._'


	4. The Cat's Eye Gem Part I

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Three - The Cat's Eye Gem (Part I)**

* * *

One week later, Navy had finally decided to tell the Great Hero the truth.

"Ros?" Navy asked as she walked into the hotel room they were sharing in Madril.

Sitting up on the bed, Rosalyn looked to her apprentice, noting her rather somber tone.

"Yes?" she finally asked, Navy closing the door and walking over to a chair, plopping down in it.

"I've been _thinking_," she said, not even looking at Rosalyn. "You've been saying how you were expecting me to make a great hero and how I'd be such a great addition to the Hero's Club, but you... you never really _asked_ me, Ros... It's like I had to be one, but I don't really want to be a hero..."

She sighed, Rosalyn nodding in understanding.

"I never knew you didn't feel the same about being a hero," the Great Hero replied, looking slightly disheartened, yet accepting. "You should have just told me."

"I know, Ros, but you taught me how to fight... I didn't want to betray you," Navy explained with a frown.

Rosalyn narrowed her eyes in thought, looking at Navy, "Tell me you aren't thinking of--"

"Being _evil_?" Navy asked, blinking to such an implication. "No. No, of _course_ not... I just don't want to be a hero, that's all... And you were so set on it, it seemed, so--"

"I was only excited for you and to have taught such a good student, Navy. I simply got ahead of myself with excitement, I guess, so I apologize," the hero replied. "I never meant for you to feel _obligated_ to a path you didn't want to take... Still, I should have _asked_ before I jumped to such conclusions."

After a few moments of silence, Navy looked up, catching Rosalyn's attention.

"I just didn't want to let you down," she said, smiling a bit sadly.

Rosalyn returned the same sort of smile, "You won't and you haven't... We're still friends and that's what counts."

Navy nodded, "But that's not _all_ I wanted to talk about."

"Oh?" Rosalyn asked curiously.

"I've thought about this a while now and I'm thinking it's time for me to move on," she told her friend. "Even though it's been _great_ being your apprentice, I think it's best for me to go out and try to face this world on my own, you know?"

Rosalyn nodded, "I understand... There's really nothing left to teach you, so if you want to make your own way now, it's perfectly understandable. All I ask is that you keep in touch."

"Oh, of course. I intend to," Navy replied with a smile. "I want to keep contact with you, Ari and family for sure."

"But, out of curiosity, where do you plan to _go_?"

Rosalyn's question hit Navy into realization; she still hadn't figured out where she was going and the look on her face proved it, Rosalyn laughing a bit.

"Maybe you should think a bit more about that before you go out on your own just yet," the hero said, the two laughing.

* * *

Two weeks later, after finding a place to stay in Triste, Navy had settled in her new home a few days before leaving, but when she did she became mixed up in something she'd never known could be so much fun.

She had actually done something that completely went against Rosalyn's teachings on good and evil.

She _stole_ something!

How had she turned to a life of crime so quickly?

Honestly, it felt so right to her, but it wasn't for a completely bad cause. She had stolen something that had been stolen and intended to leave it with its rightful owner. It was just the toy of a girl in Triste, but this simple act led her onward to the present day...

For a time, she stole from thieves and returned the items to their rightful owners, but she'd slowly begun to also steal without that "just cause" she had before.

It felt fitting for her to do and once she started she couldn't stop.

She had stolen many things, working her way up from petty cash, or sukel as this world's currency was called, to things of great value, such as rare jewels.

And tonight she was planning another daring feat, readying to steal a very lovely gem...

* * *

Having found some new clothes to aid in her new hobby of sorts, Navy put them on, looking in a mirror to fix the black cloth mask she'd cut two holes in.

Tying it in a knot at the back of her head, she made sure it wasn't too loose, smiling once it was on just right.

She now wore a loose black top with long sleeves that covered the bracelets of her Black Cat Claws, her unique weapons, the claws the only part seen when unsheathed from beneath her sleeves.

As for her pants, they were baggy and loose, a few pockets here and there in which she stored a few of her trademarks.

Ever since that night when she stole something to return the item to its proper owner, she'd left something behind for those she stole from to find.

It was simply one of the "claws" she easily crafted from mere stones, using her thunder and fire magic.

With a handful or so in her pocket, she sighed contently at her image in the mirror and then reached around to her bed, picking up the whip she'd begun to use.

Rolling it up, she hooked it to her right hip where a small, though sturdy black holder was resting.

After making certain it was latched properly, she made her way to a desk, opening a drawer and sifting through junk until she found a box.

The box was medium in size and shimmered silver, Navy opening the lid with care. Inside sat another box, though smaller, her hand wrapping around it and placing it in her pocket.

Within the box, a handful of metal objects awaited use, the bases of which were round with a large hole in the center, curved blades surrounding the outer portion of the circle.

Navy merely called them throwing stars, using them more often for scare tactics than anything else, though she knew perfectly well how to use them.

In yet another pocket, a bit of paper was folded up, a pen inside as well. She carried these in the event that she might leave a note to one of her victims, which she had before.

Although sometimes she would steal items from thieves to return them to their owners, she mainly stole from those who had more than enough, finding it thrilling as a challenge.

And, although knowing it wrong, she considered her actions simply her way in life.

All she really knew was that she wasn't a hero and she wouldn't have made it as one in this world either.

Even if Rosalyn never seemed to understand it, Navy was more of an outcast than Rosalyn felt for having a pink shadow. Navy was, admittedly, a strange-looking person to the people of this world.

Even though her form had somehow wavered to look more like that of the people in this world, she still remained greatly different in that she didn't have the same freakish features the inhabitants did.

Of course, although she considered their looks freakish, they considered theirs normal and hers odd. It was only natural, considering they belonged to the world she now found herself trapped in.

_She_ was the odd one, not the people who lived there.

Without having to be told to her face, Navy knew she would never really be accepted in the Hero's Club.

Rosalyn would have been her only connection to it and, even so, she didn't feel like being a hero was something she was willing to do.

And now, she kind of knew why, her new "hobby" being that of a thief.

God forbid Rosalyn ever heard her, but she openly admitted to herself that she loved plotting and carrying out a heist. She couldn't help it; the thrill was overwhelming and it felt like she was doing what she was meant to do.

How could she deny such a feeling?

Sighing away her thoughts, she felt her last pocket.

"The gem will go there and then I'll make my escape," she said, speaking softly. "All I have to do is snag it from the stand and put it in the pouch in my pocket, then I get outta there and I'm home free."

Nervous butterflies jittered in her stomach, Navy walking to her window and climbing out, leaving it open a crack so that she could easily lift it and get inside.

Using the door was far too risky, and the less risks she took the better.

Letting go of the ledge, her feet hit the ground in one sturdy motion, the distance not but a few feet down.

Then, walking down the street in her new black shoes, she quickly pulled her long hair into a ponytail, the black band holding it up before she set out in a sprint.

Swiftly making her way toward Rashelo, she simply ran, soon making it to her destination.

Stopping only a minute to catch her breath, she looked out at the sleeping city with a smirk.

Walking across the sand to the pier that led to the city, she kept her smirk, the butterflies from before turning as light as a feather.

She knew she was going to triumph once again, her shoes making only gentle pitter-patters against the wooden piers.

Making her way over to the Hero's Club, she almost felt a pang of guilt for stealing something they'd recovered from a thief like herself.

Not to mention that this was the Hero's Club, the place that Rosalyn cherished oh so much.


	5. The Cat's Eye Gem Part II

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Four - The Cat's Eye Gem (Part II)**

* * *

Without hesitation, Navy picked at the lock of the door, knowing no one would be inside, soon creeping in and gently shutting the door behind her.

She knew the gem would be in the safe she saw after scanning the room, so she slowly walked over to it, somewhat amused at how easy this would be.

Even though it had a code, she could open it easily, Rosalyn having been there with her not long ago, the item shown to them.

It seemed that, simply because she'd been Rosalyn's apprentice, she was at least trusted to be in the room as the man opened the safe, if nothing more, which seemed foolish.

That day, she'd made sure to see the code he put in and memorized it carefully, knowing it well and soon opening the door of the safe.

Reaching in, she smiled, bringing out a little box.

After opening it, her hand, covered by a black leather glove, gently picked up the gem as she looked it over. It looked even more enticing than it had the day she'd first laid eyes on it, overhearing Rosalyn call it a "Cat's Eye" gem.

It was a fitting name, the gem sparkling with a mark in the center, replicating the eye of a cat nicely.

"_That_ was easy enough," Navy thought, carefully putting the gem into a velvet pouch and placing it in her pocket.

She then reached into another pocket for one of her "claws," leaving it in place of the jewel and softly closing the safe door, locking it.

Standing, she smirked, pleased at how easily she'd been trusted and the ease with which this heist was carried out, her light footsteps returning to the door, the gem safe in the pouch in her pocket; her new treasure.

However, just as she reached out to grasp the doorknob, it began to turn, an instant panic setting in, though she threw it off immediately. She couldn't afford to lose her cool just like that, her eyes searching around the room a moment.

Quickly, she dashed behind a counter, not a moment too soon, someone standing in the now open doorway.

The figure moved inside, Navy unable to see anything but their shadow on the wall, watching it grow as they entered the room.

From the looks of it, the figure was male, Navy only making that much of a revelation before reaching into her pocket.

As the man walked, he unsheathed his sword, the door wide open even still.

His carelessness made her laugh to herself, hardly afraid of the fool now.

In her fingers, she held onto three throwing stars, her smile dancing upon her lips as she counted to three, readying her hand on her whip.

As she silently spoke the numbers, she unlatched the black whip without a sound, moving to one knee with care. And, once she hit three, she peeked around the corner, using her whip to latch onto the man's ankle, jerking it toward herself.

At that, the man fell with a shout, Navy quickly rolling up the whip and attaching it to its holder as she ran out the open door, certain someone had heard his scream.

Finding her assumption correct, she saw a couple of heroes standing at the ready, a sudden clap of thunder startling them all.

Recovering before them, she maneuvered into a better spot, whistling at the two boys.

Between her fingers, in her raised hand, she held three shining objects, her feet planted on a rounded wooden poll of the pier's railing.

The two looked toward her, barely able to see her in the darkness, but seeing the throwing stars clearly once lightning flashed in the skies.

Obviously the two heroes hadn't encountered someone stealthy before, backing up slowly, though she saw opportunity knock once they backed into the wall, throwing her stars with expert aim.

Two stars lodged into the wooden building at their sides, both men scared out of their wits and running away.

"_Cowards_," she mumbled, a sound suddenly coming from behind her, making her remember the man she'd left behind.

Still looking forward, she let him think she hadn't heard him, carefully leaping down to the pier boards, the man gaining a clean run at her and taking it as she'd planned.

Once he was only a step away, the hand which held the last throwing star, resting up at her chest, moved a bit as she turned her head toward him.

Before he knew it, she had dodged his sword without even turning around and lodged the blade of the star into his arm, blood spilling as he shouted in pain, sword clattering to the floor of the pier.

Navy turned her body completely to him as he held his wound, somewhat sorry for what she'd done, though she knew it couldn't be helped.

Regaining her rather cold temperament she held at times like these, she turned, swiftly making her exit, the man clearly shocked by it all.

However shocked he was, though, soon faded away, Navy hearing cries for help from behind.

Soon enough, a handful of heroes were coming out of their rooms, a couple attending to the man's wounds while three began to run after her.

She didn't even have to look back to count them, knowing just by their footsteps their number.

"Just great," she thought, panting a bit as she ran. "I'll just have to face them."

Once Navy got a good distance into the thick, green landscape, she came to a halt on the pathway, turning around to face them.

In moments the three heroes stopped in their tracks, unsheathing their swords, one calling out as lightning flashed above.

"You! Thief girl! ...Give yourself up; you're outnumbered!"

Laughing lightly, she smirked to his words, the three startled at such a reaction.

"Merely because I'm outnumbered you think I'm outclassed?" she questioned, clearly amused.

They said nothing, listening to her in silence.

"Ha! Foolish hero," she said with an air of arrogance. "Don't count me out so fast!"

With a mere flick of each wrist out to the side, her hands balled into fists, the heroes caught sight of claw-like blades in the flash of lightning that cut the sky, Navy knowing hardly any heroes had met her and her weapons.

Now, as they stood in silence, the three heroes advanced slowly, hands tightly gripping the hilt of their swords.

"Give up, thief!" One of the heroes shouted, running at her with his blade ready to cut through her figure.

In one swift movement, Navy's feet left the ground, landing on a large rock to the side, the hero unable to stop quickly enough as she once again pounced, this time toward his back.

She knew his armor couldn't be pierced, though, aiming above it and below his helm, taking a lethal sideswipe at his neck.

Her blades, as strong as they were, had been quickly joined by magic, causing the damage they would do to increase.

Combined with lightning magic, the effect had been more than she expected at the time, beheading the hero.

Still in mid-air, she pushed off his back with her feet, once again facing the other two heroes as she landed in a crouch, blood dripping from her blades as her thoughts raced.

'_I just __**killed**__ him,_' she thought, the other two heroes scared stiff and staring at the lifeless body of their partner.

'_...I __**murdered**__ him,_' her mind echoed, Navy thinking she should feel more guilt for her actions than she did, wondering why she suddenly felt something else.

Navy now felt a rush, not happy of what she'd done, but not truly sorry for it either. He'd attacked her first and she fought back in defense; that was understandable. But she also felt as if doing it again wouldn't be all that bad - possibly even _enjoyable_ - scared of this aspect of herself.

After what seemed so long, though, she didn't care anymore; she simply let her feelings be as they were, rising up from where she crouched.

With noticeable fear written in their stances, the heroes took a few steps back, Navy walking closer, stopping once half the distance between them had been crossed.

As lightning flashed and thunder roared out from the clouds, the two heroes were stunned to see an amused sneer on her lips, soon hearing her snickering.

She abruptly fell silent, though, taking a few steps forward, the two frozen in place as she grinned at them.

Her face lit by the pale moon, she spoke to them as the rain began to pour.

In one word, her voice terrified them, simply commanding, "_Run_."

At that, they turned and ran off in the rain like two mutts with their tails between their legs.

Watching them go, she merely laughed, curling her hands into fists and pulling out the switches on her weapons.

It was as if she'd done something terrible, but felt perfectly fine with it, if not _thrilled_.

How could she have become so cruel?


	6. The Black Cat Is Born

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Five - The Black Cat Is Born**

* * *

One week later, after stealing the Cat's Eye gem, Navy heard word of the heist traveling along.

People fumbled for what to call the mystery thief, but one of the heroes who'd escaped her was spreading tales around which people carried on, the elements of the story slowly gaining the thief a name.

"She moved like a cat," said one of the heroes who'd seen her. "Her claws came out and killed a man without mercy... She even _laughed_ after killing him!"

When his words spread like wildfire, people somewhere along the line gave her a name due to his description of her.

"Everything she wore was black. She was covered, every inch, save her face, in black," explained a terrified hero. "And those claws she suddenly revealed made her look even _more_ like a cat when she attacked the hero she killed..."

As if reliving the incident inside, he had whispered, "...She was so swift and graceful... Like a black cat..."

After that, she gained the name Black Cat, her alter ego not minding at all, though she felt she should be feeling guilty for her crime, such a feeling simply never coming.

Somehow, in what seemed only moments, she had become cold and unfeeling to others' pain, a side of her released that both frightened and excited her.

How she could have suddenly become such a cold-blooded killer was unclear, though she suspected it had part in why she didn't wish to be the same as Rosalyn.

Thinking of Rosalyn, her mind wandered, recalling how some of what Rosalyn did annoyed her.

For one thing, her speeches she tended to spout to her enemies were filled with such words as "justice," "righteousness," "love," and "good," all of which Navy felt were far too pathetic.

She didn't care about justice nor did she find righteous actions all that impressive. As for love, well, that was fine and dandy, but love wasn't all sunshine and roses.

And then there was "the good" which Rosalyn so often touted.

"The good" seemed like a way that was boring and filled with useless efforts. As long as evil existed, being good would only mean more fighting in the name of something only idealists seemed to believe in; a peaceful world.

But peace can never be and Navy didn't think it would be that great _anyway_. Things would become far too _boring_ for her tastes.

However, what truly separated her from the heroes and their idealistic beliefs was that, sometimes, she simply wished that the opposition would finally _win_ for once.

This world was lacking in villains who could put up a decent fight, thus leaving good free reign over the world, which she found somewhat saddening.

Why were there no villains who had the ability to do some real damage?

Were they all hiding in fear?

Surely not, but if not, where the hell _were_ they?

* * *

Now, three weeks had pasted, Navy currently running through the snow, panting wildly.

With a look over her shoulder she caught sight of two heroes still on her tail, annoyance bubbling up inside her as she kept pushing forward.

"Stop, you evil-doer!"

The righteousness that poured from the hero's words made her want to gag.

The other hero then joined his shout, just as pathetically, "Give up, thief! You cannot outrun the forces of good!"

Finally fed up with them, she came to a halt, turning around to face them as they stopped as well, reaching for their weapons.

Walking toward them, she spoke, a biting tone resounding as she slowly neared them through the snow.

"You two are truly pathetic... You seem to think that just because you stand for good you will triumph," she pointed out bitterly, "yet such couldn't be further from the _truth_."

Almost snarling, she stared them down, the sun pounding into their eyes as she moved forward, only a silhouette to them.

"You both need to go back into training because, if you're not careful, I'll kill the both of you and leave your pathetic carcasses to rot, you idealistic _idiots_!"

Flicking her wrists to the sides, she revealed her claws, the two gasping at the sight and realizing this was no mere thief.

"Either you two get off my tail or you bring it on," she taunted, calling them out. "_However_, I can assure you both that you will only wind up dead should you choose to fight me."

Lightly growling, she watched one of them turn tail and run, the other looking after him.

"Wh-Where... Where are you _going_, damn it?" he asked nervously.

Navy huffed a laugh, calling his attention back to her.

"Are you going to run or _die_, hero?"

He staggered back, "Uhh... _Er_..."

Taking a step forward, she sneered, "_Well_...?"

He had only started to run when she cracked her whip into the air, using it to stop him.

It latched onto his ankle, a swift jerk from her end bringing him to the snowy ground.

"Before you go--" she began, once again jerking the whip.

After it released him, she went on, the hero looking back to her as she towered over him, her eyes a blazing dark blue as she spoke a warning:

"--Tell all your little hero friends to beware the day they cross paths with the Black Cat."

After that day, nothing had been the same...


	7. Enter The King

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Six - Enter The King**

* * *

In the two weeks following her threat to the terrified hero, Navy's reputation, though still hidden, had received nothing but rave reviews.

'_They must seriously be in need of some action from either side, be it good or evil,_' she thought, reading the paper in the bar in Tenel.

After she'd masqueraded as the Black Cat again only a few days ago, she'd suddenly earned the praises of the presses, the paper calling her a 'new sensation in the world of evil.'

Other ravings about her were 'Evil King who?' and 'a female finally enters the side of evil!'

The people seemed unable to get enough of her alter ego, which she didn't mind.

However, the heroes were less than thrilled. Their business had sorely fallen because of her little escapades, the Evil King's deeds looking like mere child's play in the papers, though they were more of an evil nature than one of a thief.

Many heroes blamed the Black Cat for causing too many potentials in the hero world to die young, others calling her a menace in the night, among other hopelessly corny dribbles of off-center praises.

'_This world seems to think a good villainess would be just __**dandy**__,_' her thoughts laughed out, a smile on her lips as she sipped her ale.

Then, from behind the bar, the bar tender spoke up, "'Nother cup?"

Navy pushed her barely finished cup towards him, shaking her head.

"Two's enough for me, thank you."

Folding up the paper, she stood from her stool, reaching into her pocket for a few small bits of currency, tossing it to the man with a nod 'good day.'

* * *

As she left, unawares of the stir happening just outside of town at Ari's house, she saw a villager running past, another stopping him and inquiring about his hurry.

"There's a big to-do at Ari's house!"

Navy narrowed her eyes, curiously watching, then walking calmly out of Tenel.

Stopping the boy, she asked him what exactly the ruckus was all about and heard that Ari's "master" was ranting and raving.

"His... _master_?" she echoed, intrigued.

Neither Rosalyn nor Ari or anyone else had informed her that he was a slave, the boy before her practically hopping with impatience.

"Yeah. He came around a while ago and went straight to Ari's place... He was so mad his eyes seemed to stare _holes_ in me!"

She smirked slightly, questioning, "What's he mad about?"

The boy, impatient as ever, barely spouted his answer before running off in a flurry of excitement, "He's heard about the Black Cat and he's mad he's not the center of attention in the press anymore. That's why I'm leaving! He said he's going to destroy _Tenel_ if she doesn't show up and face him!"

This left Navy wondering if she should once again take on her alter ego and enter the scene, but she knew better.

'_I can't and __**won't**__ blow my cover with Ari just yet,_' she reasoned with herself. '_And it'd be more efficient to study the opposition before rushing in..._'

She felt somewhat badly about going to Ari's house, however, the side of her that came out in the form of the Black Cat slowly causing her to be less her old self.

* * *

Ari and Rosalyn now knew she had changed somewhat, hearing her opinions on heroes once she finally couldn't take Rosalyn saying something heroic.

She considered it so pompous and self-righteous, Rosalyn soon fearing the friend she'd come to be close to was changing drastically. It seemed something was clouding over her, making her darker, Ari noticing this as well.

As for Rosalyn, she slowly became distant from Navy, not quite understanding what had changed her friend. She couldn't _bear_ to hear her once kind friend now talking of heroes as if they were nothing but nuisances.

Ari, though, didn't mind, Navy still staying close to him and his family. He felt sad that Rosalyn was now slowly moving out of her once good friend's life, but he knew it couldn't be helped.

He understood Navy had discovered something and had connected to it, simply knowing it was somehow right. He couldn't explain it, but that feeling made him sure what had changed was only the true Navy starting to reveal itself, and having Stan as a master made him less affected by this change.

After all, Stan was a polar _opposite_ to Rosalyn and he got along with both in his own way...

* * *

Making her way to Ari's house, still out of view, she saw him sitting on the edge of the fountain, a pacing figure cloaked in a black suit of sorts ranting on and on, throwing his hands in the air as the boy simply sat, unmoved by the commotion.

The man who seemed to pace a trench back and forth in front of the door had strange features, even for this odd world, Navy wondering what made him any different than the rest.

His skin was tanned, his hair a lazily combed back blonde, ears pointed like an elf's and fingernails turned practically into claws.

The neck of his suit, a white with three points outward, was a new sight to her, the cuffs on his sleeves likewise, two triangles of white on them pointing out to each side. And on his shirt she saw four golden, diamond-shaped buttons which seemed to match with his hair, the rest of his attire, down to his shoes, completely black and seemingly a complimentary color to the odd being.

Finally deciding to walk up and make her presence known, she took one step after the other until Ari caught sight of her, standing up.

However, the pacing man continued to do just that, oblivious to her presence until Ari spoke up, waving to her.

"Hey, Na!" he called, happy to see someone other than his master.

Navy waved back slightly, used to this shortening of her name by the boy, and suddenly felt eyes on her.

Looking over to the man, she noticed he'd stopped dead in his tracks, hands folded behind his back as he looked at her with an unwavering stare.

She also noticed his stare was without any sort of emotion she could read, blinking a few times and wondering why he seemed so different in this world.

Ari, who had simply been happy someone came around to possibly save him from being an unwilling audience to his master's ranting, noticed Stan staring at her, looking between the two a few times.

After a moment, Navy looked back to Ari, wondering why he looked sort of nervous.

He seemed to be worried to his master's reaction to her, Navy not worried in the slightest, though the strange man kept staring.

* * *

**+Stan POV+**

* * *

Standing in the middle of a pace I'd been doing for a good half hour felt odd, but for some reason I couldn't help noticing how strange that female looked.

It was as if she didn't belong to this world, which obviously couldn't be true, _could_ it?

Nevertheless, she was like nothing I'd ever seen.

Her clothes, for starters, weren't normal. And what was that printed on her shirt?

It was a foreign language, I'm certain, but it was perfectly clear to me. After all, I'd been taught many languages back in the days of my youth, though few on this plane knew such a thing.

Her hair; it's so unusual, long, brown and straight with two odd bangs, both dark blue strands.

One strand on each side, resting against her dark brown hair, she looked like something from another world.

Why hadn't I seen such a being before?

Surely there was more of her lineage.

But _I_, being over three hundred years of age, couldn't possibly have missed something so out of the ordinary.

Then again, one human pretty much looks like another to me these days - all of them inferior and unworthy of my majestic evil, of course.

But this girl - I just couldn't take my eyes off of her.

However, it wasn't because of how different she appeared, but dare I even _think_ it, how _refreshing_ a sight this human was when compared to all the other beings I'd seen.

She seemed to be a sight for sore eyes that had, in secret, wished for someone more like himself in way of out-of-place attire and appearance.

But there was something more...

Oh, it's that odd sort of feeling I've heard a few humans describe.

What did they call it? Oh, yes. _Admiration_.

I was admiring what I considered to be beautiful.

To think _I_, Stanley Hihat Trinidad XIV, thought _this_, a mere female _human_, was _beautiful_.

How preposterous!

And since when did I care of beauty?

And yet, I couldn't deny the feeling, finally remembering what my slave had called her.

Na; was that her name?

If it were, it was an odd name, so simple and strange.

Could he have shortened it as he had with that damnable hero's name?

Surely he had; what kind of a name was _Na_?

And why was I even caring to wonder such trivial things about a strange woman I didn't even know when a culprit who's been stealing my thunder is out and about on the prowl?

I have to get my thoughts together and forget about this strange female specimen before me.

It was at this time that I realized I was staring.

I was staring at her and she right back, her eyes a dark blue that seemed darker than the ocean surrounding Rashelo at midnight.

Those eyes, so dark, almost even black, were reminiscent of the late night sky, little sparkles in her eyes shimmering like stars.

Oh, I was still staring.

Damn it all!

Why could I not take my eyes off her?

* * *

**+End POV+**


	8. The Human And The Demon

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Seven - The Human And The Demon**

* * *

**+Navy POV+**

* * *

This man kept staring at me, almost as if I were completely out of this world.

Oh, how true those words really were!

However, I noticed I couldn't look away from him just as he seemed unable to look away from me.

Somehow, despite it all, I found him very handsome and a welcomed sight after seeing countless odd-looking people in this world.

Don't get me wrong, he was quite strange as well, but in a way I thought very endearing.

Oh well. I suppose I'll have to kill him sooner or later.

Thinking this, I wondered just how devilish I would become in the future, pushing the thought aside and at last breaking the stare.

I looked to Ari, his eyes on his master, mine traveling back to the man again as I spoke slowly, almost carefully.

"Am I.. _interrupting_ something?"

Although I looked at the man, my question was aimed for Ari.

He was familiar and this man was not, so naturally my instincts would ask the one I knew.

But this seemed to insult the man, his eyes slightly glaring. He knew the question hadn't been toward him, his voice finally pricking the silent air.

"Nothing that can't wait," he said, leaving me to blink a few times.

Ari seemed to be sort of surprised with the man's reaction, my own instincts telling me he would normally have lashed out, yet had refrained.

But why?

"Na, this is my master--" Ari tried to introduce him.

The man interrupted, "Silence, slave."

Ari did as commanded as I looked to him, then back to the stranger.

"My name is Stanley Hihat Trinidad XIV, the Great Evil King."

His eyes seemed to search mine for something briefly, unable to find it.

"I take it you haven't _heard_ of me."

I smirked to myself, thinking that it was quite the opposite.

"I _have_," I replied. "The Great Hero, Rosalyn, informed me of you."

"The pork chop got to you first, then?" he asked rhetorically. "...Heh. _Pity_... You seemed a good candidate for my next slave."

Something sparkled in his eyes, my own blinking, confused momentarily by it, but interrupted by the sight of Stanley walking toward me.

"She told you I'm evil, dense, worthless, _etcetera_, I suppose?" he questioned, standing not but a step away from me.

"Among _other_ things," I replied, not at all frightened, though he seemed to think I _should_ be.

He somewhat smirked a smile of sorts, "Are you a hero then?"

I almost choked on thin air, Stanley noticing this as I replied quite indignantly, "Hell _no_. I'm no idealist for a losing side full of pompous, holier-than-_thou_ types."

His lips formed a smile, "Smart woman, Ari. ...Unlike that brainless little ex-_princess_ you adore."

Ari glared at him, though Stanley didn't look away from me.

"You should ask _this_ one for a relationship," he suggested to the boy, "if you humans must have such flimsy things..."

* * *

**+End POV+**

* * *

Navy huffed a laugh, "_Please_... I wouldn't be caught _dead_ in some romantic relationship with _any_ man."

Stanley seemed amused at this, cracking what almost seemed a genuine smile as he laughed.

"Smart indeed," he said, walking closer.

He was now inches away from her face, staring into her eyes.

"...Darkest eyes I've ever seen on a human," he mused. "You _are_ human, aren't you?"

"_Unfortunately_," she replied, this gaining a knowing smirk from Stanley. "I would ask, but I can see you're not human in the least, so I won't bother... Being an Evil King, I assume you're a... ghost or, more likely, some sort of _demon_, am I right?"

He was offended, about to retort unkindly when Ari stepped in.

"She doesn't know how everything _works_ here yet," the boy defended her. "She's from another world, actually."

This seemed to catch his attention, Ari keeping back once again.

"I _knew_ you couldn't be from this world... I've never seen anything _like_ you," he said, threading one blue bang between his finger and thumb.

Slowly letting it fall, he then began to walk around her.

He was inspecting her from all angles, Navy feeling a bit self-conscious, which he noticed, slightly amused by this.

"What was your name; _Na_?"

Ari once again spoke up, "Um, I--"

Stanley turned to him, "Silence, slave, she can speak for herself."

Once again, he looked at her with those cold, unnerving eyes that hadn't bothered her too much, though they were beginning to.

"When I came here, and Rosalyn first met me, I didn't remember my real name, Evil King Stanley," she told him. "I _did_, however, remember a nickname of mine, which I go by here. Navy Blu. N-a-v-y B-l-u."

He seemed silently wondering of her real name, though it only lasted a moment before he spoke up.

"I prefer Evil King Stan," he informed her.

"Alright then, Evil King Stan."

Stan seemed to smile once again, Ari noticing some of these smiles weren't exactly evil.

He seemed _impressed_ by her, probably finding her opinions very intelligent because they reflected his own, his arrogance still intact, though he'd matured a good deal through the few years since their quest.

He was more threatening now than he'd _ever_ been, Ari sometimes afraid to even speak to him.

"_Slave_," Stan said, breaking Ari from his thoughts. "Tell James not to bother me for the rest of the evening."

His eyes were dead set on her, Ari complying and going inside to find James eating one of his mother's famous omelettes, leaving the two alone...

"I want to talk with you longer," the Evil King expressed to the brunette. "You share many odd views for a human."

She nodded, remaining silent.

"Come," he said, walking off as he gestured her to follow with his forefinger.

* * *

Following Stan down the road that led away from Tenel and into a field, they passed a long wooden bridge, continuing forward until they reached a smaller, stone one.

"This place is hardly traveled," said Stan. "No humans can annoy me here."

She gave him a look he could read, obviously thinking something along the lines of, "what about _this_ human?"

"You hardly count as human when you can dislike them as much as you seem to."

"What makes you think I _dislike_ them so much?" she asked as she leaned against the bridge railing. "Some of them are what I'd call friends, so I'm obviously not "_un-human_" enough for you to converse with."

Stan smirked, "You're only human."

His eyes seemed to sparkle, wondering if she'd react in retaliation, though she laughed before looking into the water below, "Don't _remind_ me."

Afterwards, a long conversation ensued, Navy explaining the events up until now, Stan even making plans to meet her there again.

Walking off, Stan went toward Madril, Navy returning to Tenel, the two wondering if this was a sort of friendship.

* * *

For Stan, an openly admitted friendship with another felt odd, but he couldn't help feeling good as he walked toward Madril, simply pleased to find someone, even human, who felt the same dislike for humans as himself.

It was a rare find.

In fact, he felt the friendship they'd struck up, even though unspoken, would be beneficial to him.

* * *

As for Navy, she felt a bit odd; the unspoken friendship was definitely felt by both, an odd arrangement to occur between a demon Evil King and a human.

However, she knew he understood her thoughts on humans and how she felt, stuck between a hero and a pack of mundane human drones.

He'd felt the same at one time, as he'd told her, on his quest with Ari.

* * *

Could a friendship of sorts between an Evil King and a human last?

The two were going to find out, as there was no going back now...


	9. To Hatch A Plot

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Eight - To Hatch A Plot**

* * *

One week later, Navy had agreed to meet Stan on the bridge again, almost to it as he stood there, looking into the water.

Hearing her approach, he turned to her, the two silent awhile before either one said a word, Stan the first to break the silence.

"I didn't think you'd come," he admitted, surprised that she had.

She looked at him, kind of surprised to hear such a thing.

The woman questioned, "Why _wouldn't_ I?"

He looked at her, her face honest, "I thought this sort of kinship I felt may have been my imagination."

"Funny," she said, Stan listening, "I felt the same thing."

He smiled, feeling so contented to be near a specific human for the first time. The feeling was somehow frightening, even to an Evil King.

In turn, she felt odd to be so at ease in the presence of an evil being, but she nevertheless felt fine.

She spoke, bringing up a topic, "So tell me... about what evil you've accomplished and the like."

"You really want to know?" he asked, somewhat surprised.

"Of course," she returned, confused as to why she wouldn't be curious about such a thing. "It's not as though I'm on the side of _good_, you know."

He smiled, genuinely, wondering idly if she was at all on the side of evil, though he didn't dare ask.

He didn't want this sort of friendship, though a rocky and strange one, to end so soon.

Keeping his curiosity to himself for now, he told her of what he'd done and the journey he'd taken with Ari and the rest, explaining how Ari had become his slave.

* * *

After telling her the tale of his adventure with Ari, and even a hero, Stan saw she wasn't bored, to his surprise.

"So I parted ways with my slave to make my name stand out and gain a reputation on my own," he explained to the woman. "It wasn't easy, but soon the world feared me, and it _still_ does. Just not enough as of yet, though I'm getting there."

He refrained from speaking of that damned Black Cat woman, not wanting to ruin his good mood, a mood unusual for him.

"You really defeated them all and saved the _world_? Huh."

He felt foolish, an Evil King saving the world by fighting evil, but she continued thoughtfully, "That's _amazing_... Most evil I know would just destroy the world instead. But you saved it _anyway_, which is a refreshing twist."

Stan wondered what she meant, Navy going on before he could ask.

"You saved the world and now you're going to rule it," she said, then huffed a laugh. "I think the world should be yours anyway as you even bothered to _save_ the worthless place, but those idiot humans wouldn't _get_ that logic... Pathetic rats."

He smiled, "You seem to believe I'll rule."

"_Hm_? Why _wouldn't_ you?"

She gave a puzzled look, the honesty in her expression met with a smile, Stan's ego inflated, but suppressed.

"I could fail," he said, looking down into the water.

For reasons he couldn't quite explain, he didn't mind showing a side of himself none had seen to her; it was a side that wasn't so sure of himself. Perhaps it was because she came from another world, or possibly that he felt such kinship to her. Regardless, he allowed doubt to show through to this human.

"_Fail_?" she echoed, surprised. "The humans are _idiots_. They're simply small steps to reaching your goal... It takes a while because of the damn press being so annoyingly _stupid_, but once word spreads, it's easier to commence total subjugation... If they already fear you before you strike, the fight is already half-way won."

He huffed a laugh, "By now I'd forgotten that was my strategy."

"Well, I'll be around to remind you when needed," she offered. "Doesn't seem like I'm going _home_ any time soon. Heh."

Normally, he would have taken offense, but from her it seemed simply strategically beneficial.

"I have more problems than that," he confided.

"Such as?" she asked, Stan still looking into the water.

"I need to decide just what changes I'll enforce once I rule this world and how to secure my place as ruler, to name a few."

Nodding, Navy thought a moment, "Sounds like a bridge to cross when the time comes to me."

Silently, he agreed, both looking into the water...

* * *

Four weeks later, once again, the two were meeting, Stan waiting at the bridge for her to show.

'_I wonder if she decided not come,_' he thought, leaning against the railing with his hands in his pockets.

He huffed a laugh, thinking it likely she'd decided he was some kind of failure, considering he still talked to her while he could be out doing evil.

Just about to leave the spot, a familiar voice called out from not too far away, Stan looking up to see her wave.

"Hey!" Navy shouted, jogging up to him. "Sorry I'm late; you wouldn't _believe_ how many stupid ghosts kept attacking me... Damn things are like _weeds_ today."

Coming to a stop, she stood, dusting off her clothes, "I _knew_ I should've brought my weapon..."

"You're running around _unarmed_?" Stan asked out of disbelief.

"Well," she said, trying to explain, "the thing was getting so old I had to get rid of it and I'm not exactly _rich_, you know."

"Well what do you intend to do?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"I've been finding money on monsters, so I assume I'll just keep fighting until I get enough sukels to afford something better than this stupid stick," she said, motioning towards it, holding it in her hand.

He huffed and shook his head a bit, Navy not noticing as she looked at the so-called weapon with a sigh.

She knew carrying around her cat claws wouldn't be a wise decision, thus refraining from it, but her spare weapon, a crappy old sword, was no longer fit for function. Having tossed it back in Madril, she went off to find another sword, but found none in her price range that weren't sorry excuses for steel.

She didn't want to waste her money on a weapon just as bad as her last, but she couldn't run around holding the Black Cat's weapons either, making her situation rather tight.

Looking at her stick, she smirked, "_Fuck_, I need some money..."

Stan laughed a bit, moving away from the bridge's railing with a firm push.

He spoke up in a proud tone, "Then let me demonstrate my powers to you."

She looked up, Stan walking past her, "Shall we?"

"Lead the way, O Evil One," she replied with a grin.

* * *

Following him until they ran into a large group of monsters, she wondered just how powerful he indeed was, shocked to see every monster incinerated by a simple gesture of his hand.

"_Wow_," she whispered, Stan grinning with his back still to her, though he slightly looked behind himself.

"Mere child's play," he assured the brunette.

Gathering the money left behind, she added it to her budget, "Uhm... Let's see here... One hundred thirty-eight sukels total."

"That's _all_?" he asked, once again somewhat surprised by this strange human.

"Yep," she said with a nod, looking kind of pitiful.

"Then let's continue," he said with grin. "I certainly enjoy a little destruction."

* * *

After a short while of even shorter battles, Stan had accumulated a total of three hundred fifty-six sukel, not including her original sum.

"Let's see... Three hundred fifty-six plus one hundred thirty-eight," she thought aloud, adding it all up.

"Four hundred ninety-four," Stan answered without a doubt in his voice.

She blinked with a grin, "Show off."

He chuckled, knowing that sum wasn't enough.

"Let's head towards Triste," he suggested, though it came at as more of a command as usual. "There are more sukel to be taken there than here."

She nodded, "It's a shame we couldn't just find some chump by himself and rip him off..."

Stan chuckled once again, "A good idea, though I doubt it's worth the trouble of dealing with those fools."

"_True_," she agreed, laughing lightly.

The two both preferred to deal only with monsters, avoiding the majority of humans like the plague.

"I heard Triste was opened to everyone after Classification was destroyed," Navy said, Stan nodding.

"Before, no one could go in unless they were one of the Ignored," he told her, wondering what she was thinking.

"I was just wondering," she said as she thought. "Why did they stay there when they could've banded together to change things?"

Stan shrugged, "Why do humans do _anything_ they do? Stupidity, I'd assume."

She nodded, "Likely."

Still, she looked as though something were troubling her, so he hesitantly asked what was wrong, both beginning to walk to the Transverse Tunnel.

"_Hm_? ...Oh," she said, being brought out of her thoughts. "I was just thinking... If this place was just the playground for some bratty girl, and Classification was like the glue that held the game together, what would Classification be able to accomplish in the hands of one seeking to rule the world...?"

Stan turned around, Navy stopping in her tracks as he looked at her with a grin, "You think if I brought Classification back, the system could help me rule?"

"Well, I'm not sure," she replied. "It's possible that it _can't_ be brought back, but if it could, given a few adjustments, it might be valuable to you in taking over."

He nodded, crossing his arms and holding his chin in thought.

"If you used Classification to make the heroes become new members of the Ignored, they might do as the other humans did when they were in the same predicament," the young woman went on to say. "But then, of course, a hero could come from _elsewhere_..."

She paused, thinking a moment, "_Maybe_... Ah. If you could use Classification to prompt some of the others into doing evil they could serve as an army of sorts."

"Yes," he muttered with a grin. "If I could bring back Classification I could _surely_ make corrections to its inadequate structure and have it set the odds against the heroes."

Navy nodded, "If we could find more information about Classification itself and how it worked we could figure out whether or not it could be brought back and changed."

He sneered at the thought of using it to his advantage, "No one is more of a bookworm genius than Gutten Kisling, I'd venture, and duping him into helping us shouldn't be a problem."

"Gutten Kisling? That's the scholar you spoke of that joined your party on your travels, correct?"

Nodding in the affirmative, he walked forward a bit, "If this succeeds, I'll give you control of a town, under my jurisdiction, of course. Will that suffice as payment?"

"_Payment_?" she asked.

"It's the least the future ruler of the world, _moi_, can do to repay one loyal peasant," he said, turning and taking off in the direction of Triste.

* * *

Navy, however, stayed silent, wondering if she could really take him for his word; trusting an Evil King seemed foolish, even for a human, so she refrained from truly believing his gesture for now.

And why had she set this whole scheme in his mind?

Sure, she didn't care if he took over the world, but this could likely turn into quite the fiasco...


	10. To Have A Snow War?

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Nine - To Have A Snow War?**

* * *

Now near Triste, Navy's mind was on things far from buying a new weapon.

She had thought over his offer during the silence of their trip, deciding what she really wanted in return.

Stopping in the snow as she looked forward, she spoke up, grabbing his attention.

Turning around, Stan merely waited to hear what she had to say, crossing his arms.

"I've thought over that offer of yours," she said, Stan narrowing his eyes a bit. "But, as nice as it may be, I'd prefer something much simpler."

"Such as?" he asked, Navy looking off.

"This scholar, Kisling," she started as she thought, "you know him far better than I, so I want you to ask him... Ask him to try finding some way for me to return to my own world."

Stan arched a brow, "You really want to go back to your own world when you could live so well here?"

Returning her gaze to him, she nodded, "Regardless of how _unpleasant_ that world is, I'm not like you... I have family there that I can't help but miss."

He practically snorted, "As much as we both loathe humans it seems we can't shake off some of their mannerisms."

Now it was her turn to quirk a brow, "You mean to say--?"

He huffed a laugh, "After being stuck in a bottle for over three hundred years, one, demon or _otherwise_, tends to get insanely bored... And with insane boredom eventually comes loneliness."

"I see," she said, sighing. "I'm not lonely myself, _but_..."

Stan looked to her, catching the confusion in her tone, "But?"

"...I wasn't always so hateful toward humans, you know."

A few moments of silence lingered before she took his waiting as a sign to explain, "I didn't hate humans back home. I was just one of those types that preferred to be left alone... But after awhile of living here, and studying Classification, I thought back to why I didn't want to be around people."

She laughed lightly, breath shown in the cold air, "I realized their stupidity drove me away... And it's only confirmed here, where humans serve little purpose but existing, not even truly _living_..."

"It's funny how I _loathe_ humans, but feel less hatred for heroes simply because they chose something to work for, like Rosalyn..."

At this, Stan huffed a laugh, hardly a fan of that washbowl woman.

"_Sure_, I hate her damn speeches about "the good" and justice, but at least she's not working in a bar day in, day out without purpose and some sort of real _action_ - some sort of adventure and a real challenge, you know?"

She sighed, "Maybe I want to go home just to go back to existence; to forget living and go right back to routine so I don't have to feel lost anymore..."

"_Lost_?" he echoed, not sure what to make of such a statement.

"Maybe you're not the best one to express such to," she said with a slight laugh, "but telling Rosalyn is like opening up a whole can of helpfulness that just turns out to be annoying."

At that, he laughed, "Go on."

Pausing a moment, she gathered her thoughts, "Back home, evil and good aren't so separate. I was just neutral like _most_ people because nothing is clear-cut... But here I find strange realizations and I start leaning toward a side. And yet, back home, there were stories and such that always had the good guys win... So it's as if being "good" were programmed into me."

He merely listened, Navy rubbing her forehead, "I guess this is as good a time as any..."

"For what?" he asked, quirking a brow.

"There's something you need to know about me that you're probably not going to like... but here goes," she said, taking a deep breath.

Ready for whatever reaction he could muster, she finally confessed, "The one who's stealing your spotlight in the papers is me."

Stan stared blankly, silent.

"I'm the Black Cat," she said, waiting for what he'd say.

For a while, silence hung as Stan just stared, but he soon commented, "So all this time you've had a weapon while I'm wasting energy getting money from these low class demons?"

Navy sweat dropped, "_Well_, I couldn't exactly walk around with my claws on and not be found out, now _could_ I?"

He huffed, "I should kick your ass for getting in the way of my plans, but that would hardly be beneficial to me, so consider yourself warned: No more of your cat burglar routine or I'll be forced to get rid of you."

"Well, that's what I was _afraid_ of," she said with a sigh.

He simply glared, realizing she'd dare defy him as she went on.

"I'm not giving up my only means of payment," she began, suddenly looking annoyed, "especially when I haven't eaten for _three fucking days_."

She looked so annoyed that the Evil King couldn't help but laugh, Navy muttering, "Oh, _ha ha ha_. Laugh at my misery... But your pointy little ears look a lot like _Chicken Chicken_ legs to me now."

Hearing this, he only laughed more, annoyance sizzling from her entire being.

Hungry and annoyed, Navy turned in the other direction, marching off through the snow toward anywhere but where he was.

Once he noticed her taking off, he slowly stopped laughing, changing to a shadow and moving deftly across the ground until he was in front of her.

Popping up, he held up a strangely shaped hand, still a shadow.

Shrieking, Navy fell over on her ass, Stan chuckling as he remembered she knew nothing of his abilities.

"Relax," he said with a smirk. "I'm a shadow demon. It's me."

"..._Stan_?" she asked with curiosity.

He merely nodded.

"Hm... Nifty," she muttered, Stan returning to his true form and reaching out a hand to help her up.

Taking it, she rose to her feet, brushing snow off her backside with a shiver.

"Try not to scare me like that, will ya?"

He chuckled, "Teaches you for walking away from me."

She stuck out her tongue, Stan sneering and quickly grabbing a clump of snow, lightly hitting her in the face with it.

"Oof!"

Shaking off the crumbling snow from her face, she patted a snowball together and nailed him between the eyes.

"Ohoho! This means war!" he proclaimed, Navy's eyes widening as he started to make a rather large snowball.

Making one as well, she managed to dodge his, "Ha! You have exceptionally bad aim!"

Throwing her snowball at him, she was left blinking as he caught it with ease, laughing.

"Heh heh heh."

Tossing it back at her, she tried to dodge, but was hit on the shoulder.

"Just you wait," she said, making another as he followed suit.

Soon the two were having an all out snow war, Stan hiding behind a tree.

"Coward!" she called, igniting his determination to prove otherwise.

Stan came out from behind the tree with two snowballs and throwing them, both whizzing toward her. Ducking one, the other struck and she fell over, laughing.

With a victorious smile, he began making yet another, Navy soon throwing one and hitting his shoulder as he tossed his at her. Dodging it, she stuck out her tongue, Stan suddenly running over.

"I'll get you for that, woman!" he called, slightly laughing.

Running away, she looked for a place to hide, but was soon met with a black shadow popping up in front of her.

Falling over, she groaned, "Ow."

Both laughing as she stood, he changed back to his true form and made another snowball, Navy dodging it and making one to retaliate with.

"Take this!" she called, her snowball hitting his hands and making him drop the one he'd been working on.

With a triumphant grin, she laughed, Stan dusting off snow from his jacket, "You're quite the handful, woman."

Navy simply smirked, "Don't I _know_ it."

Brushing snow off her own clothing, she heard a loud roar from her empty stomach.

"I should learn how to cook," she muttered. "...Not that I'd have the utensils to cook _with_."

Sweat dropping at this realization, she heard Stan laughing, huffing at him and turning toward Triste.

"I'm going to go find food... You can stand around here laughing at me if you want, but I've got some food to buy."

"Hey!" he shouted. "That money was for a weapon!"

She shrugged, "What good's a weapon if I die of hunger first?"

Stan couldn't argue with that, following as she walked toward Triste.

Hearing him follow, she huffed, "Oh, so you're going to watch me pig out now, _eh_?"

"I'm only coming to manage your budget. Or should I say _my_ budget, considering _I_ did all the work?"

Navy waved her hand at him, "Mere details."

"Hmph," Stan huffed in reply, catching up to her in one swift motion, and then grabbing her waving hand before it fell.

She looked around, Stan's grin revealing a fang, "Details matter quite a lot more than one would think, blue-bangs."

He then let go of her hand, Navy shaking all over with a growl, pointing a shaking arm at him, "Pointy-ears!"

"Ha ha ha," he laughed, "What a temper you have, pale one."

Navy blinked, "Well compared to _you_, _anyone's_ pale... Hmph."

Once again making her way forward, she heard him catch up, turning around, "I'm never gonna get there if you don't stop trying to _annoy_ me."

"Heh heh. It's working pretty well, I see."

She huffed, "You, you... _Ooh_, I'm too hungry to even think of something to _call_ you!"

Laughing in reply, he started walking, "Well c'mon then, blue-bangs; get a move on."

At this, she sizzled with annoyance, Stan enjoying arguing with her even more than with that damn hero woman.


	11. Melting The Ice

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Ten - Melting The Ice**

* * *

Three months later, as she went on her way to meet Stan at their usual rendezvous, Navy felt strange; it was as if someone were watching her, a prickly feeling on her neck sending her shivers.

Picking up her pace as the unusually brisk wind lashed against her, the feeling didn't cease. Instead, it grew stronger as she felt like someone was behind her, her legs almost ready to run when a noise came from behind.

Turning around quickly, she thought she saw something slip past a tree, but it didn't show itself again.

Who could be following her and why?

Once again going on her way, she still felt as though someone were watching her every move, but she tried to calm herself. Maybe she'd been mistaken and was just having an acute case of paranoia.

Almost relaxing and settling with that answer, another noise came from behind.

It didn't sound clumsy, so she rethought her supposed paranoia, suddenly feeling so frightened she simply began to run out of instinct.

With every step, her heart bounded faster, the feeling of being watched still haunting her.

Why would someone be stalking her like this?

Yet again, she heard a noise from behind, footsteps halted as she looked around.

Only stopped for a moment, she felt her fear rising and turned to run again, though she hadn't been careful about where she was going and tripped unceremoniously over a rock.

Shivering as she sat on the cold ground, she pulled up the leg of her jeans seeing a bloody shin and knee.

Lightly touching her knee, she gasped, "Augh... Dammit."

The day didn't seem to be going her way, did it?

"Ugh... Stupid rock," she said accusingly.

Unsurprisingly, the rock remained silent as she sat there, muttering curses.

Then she remembered why she fell in the first place, though, by that time, she was suddenly and gently being wrapped in black.

Gasping, she stiffened, Stan moving to look at her.

He hadn't meant to scare her so badly.

"It's only me," he said, rather quietly. "Are you alright?"

Navy nodded, looking to her leg, "My leg's just scratched up... But how--?"

Cutting her off, he answered, "I didn't mean to cause you to fall..."

Blinking, she connected the dots, looking confused.

"Why were you following me?"

Instead of answering her query, he unraveled himself from around her moving near her leg and returning to his true form.

Still leaving her question unanswered, he looked at her wounds, "Do you think you can walk?"

"I don't know; it hurts really bad."

Nodding, he moved her ankle a bit, Navy yelping.

"Ahh, gah, that hurts!"

"I think you've just sprained it a bit," he informed her as he searched his pocket for his handkerchief.

Dabbing the blood from her wounds carefully, he looked to her as she leaned her head back, hissing with pain.

"God... It burns, it burns, it burns."

Unable to contain a smirk, he lightly laughed, "You need to toughen up, woman."

"Hmph. I've always had a low tolerance for pain," she replied, "I don't think that's something that'll ever cha-- Ouch!"

He quickly looked up from his dabbing, "What is it?"

"I think there's a splinter or something in my knee..."

He gave a nod, finding the splinter and managing to remove it before once again dabbing.

So far he seemed to have forgotten her question, Navy watching him a moment before speaking up, "...You still haven't answered my question."

Stopping his motions slowly, he shoved the handkerchief back into his pocket, standing, "It doesn't matter. We need to--"

"It _does_ matter," she insisted, staring back at him. "How often do you intend on stalking me?"

He looked away, huffing as he crossed his arms.

"Don't flatter yourself, woman," he replied.

He'd been so preoccupied with thought that he'd been clumsy while following her. Now he was paying the price for his carelessness.

Still looking away, he shrugged a bit, "I was just... making sure you didn't get into any trouble."

Throwing together that excuse, he wondered if it would be good enough, eyes returning to her.

"...Why would I even run into trouble?" she questioned, exasperated. "The only trouble I've had so far is you scaring the _hell_ out of me and causing this whole mess."

He snorted, turning his gaze.

"And _besides_, I know you pretty well... Better than _most_, in fact," she stated, Stan stiffening. "So I know you're not exactly telling me the whole truth."

After he remained irritatingly silent, she huffed, "Why won't you just tell me what's going on? I know you're not clumsy enough to get caught, Sta--"

"I was just following you," he said abruptly. "That's all. Nothing more, nothing less."

Navy watched him for a moment, and then looked down at the ground, still not believing him.

He could see the disbelief in her eyes as he watched her, though she didn't seem to notice or care, a blade of grass rolling between her fingers.

"Now, I'm taking you to Tenel," he said as he kneeled down.

She didn't protest, Stan picking her up with care and heading off towards the village...

* * *

**+Stan POV+**

* * *

As I walked, carrying her to Tenel, I let my thoughts wander.

I knew her well, too, and I knew she wouldn't try asking again.

However, why I had really been following her was somewhat of a mystery to even myself.

I had known she would've been at the bridge soon, and yet I still followed her. I could've seen her there, but I'd chose to stalk her instead.

Why?

The truth is, I'd been unusually impatient. For once, it wasn't to get something over with, but for something to occur. And this something was her appearance, like usual, at the same spot we'd been meeting at for quite some time.

Why had I felt such an anxiousness to see her? I meet her there every week, but lately, I have to admit, I've wanted those days to arrive faster.

But why? That was the real mystery.

Then again, it was true she had become, by nothing short of a miracle, the only one I'd tell so many things to.

I'd told her not that long ago about just how lonely I'd gotten trapped in that bottle, even telling her how I'd talk to myself so often just to hear a sound.

Instead of laughing at me, she seemed to sympathize, in turn telling me how she somewhat understood how I felt.

She told me she missed a few of the people from her world and that she would talk to them when she was alone, hoping that somehow her feelings would carry across both worlds to comfort them.

For her sake, I hoped they did.

She would often wear everything she wore that day she arrived here as well, simply hoping that just as abruptly as she appeared in this world, she would disappear.

All she could do for a time was think of her family, and the more she did the more it hurt her to be apart.

That was why she'd stopped thinking about them and tried to make some sort of life here for herself, and, for a moment, I could see the pain return in the way she looked into the waters below the bridge.

After that, I'd told her things I'd never tell anyone, such as how I'd grown accustomed to my slave, Ari, and would visit him from time to time. Even with the stupid reasons I gave for going there, I knew it was just to make sure he was doing well.

I guess, in hindsight, I shouldn't have told her these things, but I didn't want to _stop_ telling her these things.

Having a taste of something I could call a friendship and not be ashamed of wasn't all that bad.

She was the one I felt I could tell everything, something I never knew I'd needed, much less sought out. But now I felt I couldn't do _without_ that one being I could tell anything and everything, no matter how insignificant or embarrassing it was.

No matter what it was, I knew she would listen without treating me differently because of it. And I somehow, for reasons I cannot explain, hoped she felt the same.

So why had I followed her? I don't know.

Maybe I wanted to study her without fear of being noticed.

Maybe I just needed to see her at that very moment, as if it couldn't wait.

Maybe it was just to watch her as she walked along with a contented smile on those soft lips, her hips gently swaying with every step and her every movement so gracefully carrying her to not just anyone but me.

What am I saying?

Looking down at her I noticed she was looking right back up at me...

* * *

**+End POV+**


	12. Enter The Phantom

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Eleven - Enter The Phantom**

* * *

"Stan?" Navy asked, looking slightly worried.

"Hn," he acknowledged, trying to clear his mind.

"You seem to have been lost in thought there... because we're on the bridge."

Looking around himself, he realized that, instead of taking her to Tenel, he'd somehow turned around and went right to the bridge they meet on.

"...Are you okay, Stan?" the woman inquired. "You must've been pretty out of it to turn us around in the opposite direction."

"I... I'm fine," he replied somewhat unsteadily.

"Well, good; you can put me _down_ then... My ankle feels better."

He looked down to her, "Are you certain?"

After her nod, he gently stood her up, staying right behind her.

"Try to walk," he ordered, Navy walking without trouble.

"It hurts a bit, but it's fine," she assured the Evil King.

Turning around, she looked at him and he at her.

For a while, both were left silent.

"What were you thinking to have gone in the wrong direction like that?" she finally asked as her head tilted to the side a bit, Stan remaining silent as he looked away.

After some thought, he shrugged, Navy slightly annoyed and sighing, moving to the bridge railing.

As she leaned against it, she looked into the water, his face appearing near her in its reflection moments after.

"I... was trying to understand why I'd followed you," he hesitantly confessed.

"And _do_ you?" she asked, watching his reflection.

He remained silent a moment, thinking over his answer carefully, and then replied, "No."

Seeing her reflection, she didn't seem annoyed by this.

"Thank you for your honesty," she said, Stan turning and walking off a bit.

"Do you have any money?" he suddenly asked, tone slightly aggravated, Navy turning to look at his back.

She wondered what had brought on such a sudden change of subject.

"No," she answered, deciding not to ask and to also tell him the truth.

"What have I told you about running out of money?" he asked, arms crossed.

"I know," she said, sighing. "I just thought I shouldn't bring it up because..."

Trailing off a bit, she realized she hadn't wanted to bring it up, mentally reprimanding herself as Stan turned around.

"_Well_?" he asked, Navy rubbing the back of her head lightly.

"Well, some jack offs kinda _stole_ it..."

"_What_?" he said with a slight growl. "When were you going to tell me of this?"

She looked off to the side, "I didn't think it was worth--"

"I told you to tell me of these sorts of things," he said as he walked over to her. "How many were there?"

"A few," she muttered, still not looking to him.

He then turned her head, her chin between his fingers, claws careful not to scratch as he repeated the question, "How many were there?"

Looking up at him, she simply gave in, "Five or so..."

Letting go of her chin, he turned, walking off a bit.

He seemed rather angry, such confirmed as his hands were soon dancing with flames.

Folding them into fists, he growled, "Damn those pathetic humans..."

With that, he threw a few fireballs straightforward, setting a bush ablaze.

"Well, _gee_, thanks for _insulting_ me there, Stan," a slightly annoyed Navy said, crossing her arms and turning her back to him as she turned up her nose.

Quickly dispelling the flames surrounding his hands, he turned to face her only to be met by the sight of her back.

"I... forget you're human at times," he mumbled, although the truth of the matter was that he'd also held a strange feeling regarding her for quite some time.

For some reason, his senses told him she wasn't exactly human, which couldn't be true.

What else could she possibly _be_?

"Regardless of that, I have told you time and again to inform me of things such as this and also of when you've run out of money, but you've failed to do _either_," he said, Navy silent.

She still didn't understand why it mattered.

"Have you eaten?" he asked, her head shaking from side to side.

At this, he growled in frustration, "How long?"

She sighed, turning to face him, though her eyes were downcast, "A few days, but w--"

"Well, then, as you _seem_ to be unable to do as I say without force," he began, fists flexing, "I'll simply have to give you reason."

Hearing this, she looked up to him only to find him gone.

Before she could move, however, he rose behind her in shadow form, changing back, one hand holding the side of her neck as the other held the side of her head.

"You still want to go home, _don't you_, woman?"

She nodded slightly, breath caught.

"Then you will do as I say," he told her, his hold strong, but gentle.

She could hear the evil in his voice, simply nodding her head once more.

What use would it be to defy him?

Letting go slowly, he shrunk as a shadow, moving before her.

Once he stood, in his true form, he crossed his arms, "Good. You will listen to me then."

Silently, Navy wondered why he cared about anything to do with her, knowing he was an evil being, but she also knew he could be kind, though in his own way.

"Come," he said, turning away. "Let's head to Rashelo."

"What for?" she asked, nevertheless following.

"You need to eat... Rashelo's restaurant is your preference, is it not?"

She blinked, "Well yes, but--"

"Then let us go," he said as he turned toward her and took her hand, dragging her along.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Rashelo, Rosalyn was staying in the local hotel after vanquishing a mischievous monster that harassed the town.

She had a sense of where evil was and had followed her instincts, just in time to save some helpless, cowardly villagers from their impending doom.

Of course, the mayor thanked her, Rosalyn all too happy to have helped, but soon slipping off to the hotel for some much needed rest.

As she lie on her bed at the hotel, she felt something evil was headed to Rashelo once more, wondering if it was another monster coming to cause havoc.

Little did she know it was Stanley, Navy in tow.

Regardless, she pushed herself off the bed, knowing it was already evening.

'_I slept so late,_' she thought, putting on her usual attire.

Sheathing her rapier, she looked in the mirror, fixing her hair and sighing, then reaching for her parasol.

Once she was out the door of the hotel, she felt the evil presence getting stronger, deciding to go ahead and try to find it before it made it to the town.

Walking out of Rashelo and onto the sand, there wasn't a single thing amiss, yet her hand steadily went to the hilt of her rapier.

There was something coming, she knew, but it felt closer than it was, her feet carrying her forward.

* * *

The two silent as they headed to Rashelo, Navy felt odd, sensing something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

It felt like something was about to happen, a slight fear taking her over.

"What is it?" Stan asked, noticing she wasn't following him anymore.

"Oh, I... I'm not sure."

She felt like something was coming now, unsure of what it was.

And then it hit her, "Stan, I have the feeling there's a hero around... I think, maybe, it's Rosalyn."

"Ah, well then, let's go another route," he offered, unwittingly trying to sooth her restless feeling.

With a nod, she walked forward, Stan then taking her hand once again.

"Do you know where she is?" he asked, leading her forward.

As they stopped at the edge of the previous terrain, Navy nodded, "I think she's taking the bridge on the left."

Stan gave a nod, leading her to the right, "She has some sense of where evil is, so I assume she's sensed us."

The brunette inquired, "Do you think she'll figure out we took the other path?"

He smirked, "_That_ pork chop? She's not dense, but she's no rocket scientist _either_."

Navy couldn't help a giggle, Stan smirking.

"You seem to have a "_hero sense_," oddly enough."

She nodded, hand still in his, "It seems so."

* * *

Walking past a circus tent, Navy looked it over curiously, Stan noticing and stopping.

Guiding her toward the tent, he looked to her as she looked over to him, confused.

"Go explore," he said with a smirk. "I know you want to."

It was true, Navy having yet to encounter his world's circus, her curiosity sparked.

She'd known of the one near Tenel, but hadn't even bothered looking over it.

Slowly her hand slipped from his, Navy going off toward the tent, Stan watching as he waited.

Peeking around it, wondering what differences it held in comparison to the circuses in her world, she didn't notice someone following her once she'd made it almost halfway around, Navy circling the tent clockwise.

Not too far behind was someone as equally curious, though of her, his movements never making a sound.

He seemed simply to float, feet inches above the ground, though he stopped once they reached a few feet past the halfway point, certain she'd travel 'round again.

Just as he predicted, Navy began to circle the tent one more time, noticing that it seemed to have a different color scheme for one thing, Stan watching with a smirk.

She'd never seen one with a matching color scheme in her world, curious as to what was different inside, though she kept going.

Then, as she started to turn around the back of it, she saw a figure.

He was floating inches above the ground, his hair a messy, dirty blonde and eyes set against deep purple mascara.

Floating toward her, he noticed she seemed frozen in place.

She looked so different from the humans he was accustomed to seeing.

Stopping before her, his curiosity led him to reach out, hand gently touching her cheek.

Suddenly feeling frightened, she took a few steps back, the strange man only following.

Once she stopped, he lifted a hand, fingers tracing her jaw before his thumb touched her lips.

"How truly curious thou art, with features so refined," the man muttered. "'Tis strange I've never seen such a lovely maiden; or perchance I've been blind?"

She couldn't make out his words, stammering to ask his name, "Wh-who--?"

"Mayhaps you'll stay to talk a while?"

Blinking, she shook her head, "I... I really must be going."

"Ah, well then," he said with a smile, taking out a deck of cards, "perchance you'll stay to watch my act of guile?"

Taking a few steps back as he followed, she was about to reply to the strange man when Stan had started to look for her.

Not knowing who was with her, he growled, running to where she stood, slightly skidding to a stop directly in front of her.

His hands were covered with fire, ready to attack, "Don't touch her!"

Stopping dead in his tracks, the floating figure didn't budge, Stan noticing who it was and dispelling the flames.

"_Epros_... What the hell are you doing?" he asked, slightly turning towards Navy with an out-stretched hand.

Navy slowly took his hand, peeking out from behind him, "Who is this?"

Looking at her, Epros replied, "I am the former Phantom Evil King, Epros, and I have an act in the circus ring. Who are you, lady fair? To see Stanley here protect someone is truly rare."

Stan growled, "That's _Evil King_ Stan to you, circus freak."

"Still as rude as ever, I see," Epros replied, then once again turned his attention to the woman. "Yet I once again ask, whom might you be?"

"I'm--" she began to answer, but was cut off by the Evil King.

"That's none of your damn _business_, you freakishly dressed clown," Stan interrupted.

"Come now, Evil King, don't have a fit," Epros replied. "I'm merely asking her name; that's it."

Navy looked to Stan as if to seek permission to speak, Stan looking behind to her a bit, Epros taking note of this.

Giving a nod to her, Stan stayed silent, Navy looking back to the man in front of them, "My name is Navy Blu. N-a-v-y B-l-u."

Epros looked her over, never having seen anyone quite like her before.

"Thou art quite lovely, Miss Blu. Might I have a word alone with you?"

At this, Stan growled, cutting off Navy before she could even speak, not giving thought to his words.

"She's my _slave_, circus boy, so back off," the Evil King warned, his teeth bared.

'_Slave?_' Navy thought, clearly not knowing this was the case.

However, after his little power trip earlier, she wasn't so sure she'd want to defy him.

At this, the phantom smiled a bit, "Oh, she seems more than _that_ for you to protect her so. I've yet to see you treat anyone so kind, be it friend or foe."

At that, Epros noticed he seemed to bring her closer to him, curious as to why Stanley would act in such a way.

"That's none of your concern," Stan said, changing the topic quickly. "What were you doing?"

Navy stayed silent, looking to Epros as he looked to her, "I was merely following her to observe her beauty; the likes of which I've never seen... In fact, I believe, such a beauty has never been."

Navy's cheeks flushed, her eyes widening a bit as she blinked. This stranger was quite the flatterer.

Stan, however, wasn't too thrilled, growling so low that only she could hear.

He inquired with a snarl, "Where's your little _Linda_, _eh_, Epros?"

Epros smirked, "Linda ran off to Big Bull when I refused her pleas to be wed. As her husband, I assure, I wouldn't be caught dead."

"Whatever," Stan mumbled. "Just try not to stalk my servants anymore, okay?"

His tone was sarcastic, Epros unamused, "I'm sorry to have frightened you, miss, and I assure you I meant no harm... However, I must warn, if anyone _he_ should cause alarm."

She looked to Stan who was about at the end of his rope, then back to Epros, "Look, Epros, I'm no damsel in distress... I know he's an Evil King, but that doesn't bother me."

"I know I don't," she began, searching for a way to put her thoughts, "look like I _should_, but--"

Stan interrupted without thinking, "But that doesn't make her fair game."

Once he realized his words, he mentally kicked himself, Navy blinking.

Quickly, he tried to recover, "You already have _one_ fan girl. You don't need my slave clambering after you, _too_."

"Linda has a mind of her own which I cannot control, unfortunately for me. I don't seek such, Evil King, but as you seem to wish, I'll now leave you be... Goodbye, malady; 'twas a pleasure. This meeting I will forever treasure."

With those words, Epros gave an exaggerated bow to her, floating off to leave the two alone.

* * *

"Damn that annoying little freak," Stan grumbled.

He made a mental note to kill him as soon as possible.

Looking to Navy briefly, he didn't say a word, instead turning and leading her off again at a fast pace.

Without so much as a protest, she followed, sensing he was fuming about something Epros had said.

She, however, was flattered, not having a _clue_ what was bothering Stan.

Figuring it was Epros' attitude towards him, she didn't bother inquiring about it. She knew better than to ask.


	13. Mixed Messages

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Twelve - Mixed Messages**

* * *

Even now, four months later, the two continued to meet at the bridge. However, their visits became more frequent slowly by way of Stan's orders.

By now they would meet three or four times a week, this day just like any other, Stan waiting for Navy to arrive.

* * *

"Hey!" she called, Stan turning from where he'd been gazing out into the water.

"What took you _this_ time?" he asked with a smirk, Navy walking closer.

He soon saw something in her jeans pocket, covered by her shirt, but what was _this_? It was moving about!

Navy smiled, "You'll never guess what _I_ found!"

"Well, from the looks of it, it's alive," he said, gesturing towards her pocket.

Moving her shirt away, she revealed a Stalking Tiger cub, Stan tapping his claws on the railing of the bridge, Navy not noticing his annoyance.

"Oh, and it wasn't just him! He has a friend!"

She turned around, revealing another cub in her back pocket, Stan closing his eyes and shaking his head.

As she took the two out of her pockets and held them, he stayed silent, Navy about to speak when he interrupted.

"You went to the Sealed Cave?" he asked, Navy nodding. "Why?"

She shrugged, "I was just exploring..."

He made a fist, trying to control his anger, "How many times have I told you not to go into dungeons alone?"

She sighed, "I know, I know, but I'm not exactly _weak_."

"That's beside the point," he growled, fist unfurling as it swung out to the side. "You wish to return home in one piece, don't you?"

Navy nodded, Stan crossing his arms, "Then heed my words and stop venturing into dungeons alone."

After a few awkward moments, she finally spoke up, leaving that topic behind.

"So what should I name these two?" she asked, looking to each and then up to him.

He inquired with a sigh, "First, why have you kidnapped them?"

"_Kidnapped_?!" she exclaimed, obviously insulted. "For your information, I rescued these two from a very fierce bunch of Minty Alligators!"

"You _fought_?!" he shouted. "You stupid _girl_; you could have been _killed_!"

"But I--"

He pushed his back off the bridge's railing, standing up straight.

With a swift move, he held her head up by the chin, glaring into her eyes, "You listen to me and you listen well... You are not to go wondering around in dungeons alone."

She blinked, "But, Stan, I--"

"There is no discussion!" he barked. "You will do as I say."

Glaring back at him, she pulled away, "Why are you treating me like a child?!"

He huffed, "Damn it, woman, do you want to get _killed_?"

She looked off, angry, "No, but--"

"Stop with the excuses!" he shouted with annoyance. "You won't be exploring anymore dungeons or else I'll..."

A bit roughly, she let the two cubs down, each wandering off a bit and playing together as the two fought.

"You'll _what_?" she hissed. "You'll lock me up in some damn cage like a _coward_?!"

Stan's eyes widened a moment before he glared at her again, his hand slapping her cheek.

Her head still turned to the side, she felt the sting pounding on her cheek as it turned a deep red.

Making fists, he cursed his temper, Navy slowly turning her head to look at him.

"I've been hit before in my own world and I won't put up with it in _this_ one," she said in a low voice.

Turning, she walked toward the two cubs, Stan watching her in silence...

* * *

**+Navy POV+**

* * *

As I picked up the two cubs, I felt his glare like daggers in my back, but I didn't dare turn around or even take another glance. I wasn't about to turn around and apologize to that demon.

After all, I'd done nothing wrong.

Well, maybe what I said was a bit much, but it wasn't as bad as what _he'd_ done.

Walking away, I remembered back home and how I'd once been attacked by some robber while walking on the streets one night.

Luckily, though, someone I knew had been there to help me.

Derrick was his name...

_Now_, I was stuck in a world I wanted to escape, having feelings inside that made me both sick and elated, now slapped by the one I considered the closest thing to a friend I had here, save Ari.

He's an Evil King; why would he give a Robbing Rat's ass about me?

It didn't really surprise me, to tell the truth. It shouldn't surprise _anyone_.

After all, it was obvious he couldn't, but I'd hoped he'd at least treat me decently.

* * *

**+Stan POV+**

* * *

I stood there, too prideful to stop her from walking away even though I knew I'd gone too far.

And what about being hit? She'd been hit before?

I pondered on what had happened to her in her world, still watching her walk away.

Who had hit her and why?

I wondered this, absent-mindedly lifting my hand, staring at my palm. It was the hand I'd struck her with, my fingers slowly curling into a loose fist.

Why had she gone so far as to say such a thing?

I wouldn't have hit her, but she dared to make me angry, which was worse than what she'd actually said.

But I still shouldn't have hit her. I should apologize and ask her to forgive my temper.

Wait; _apologize_? What am I _thinking_?! An Evil King _never_ apologizes!

And yet, seeing her expression in that instant after I'd hit her, I feel as though apologizing is my only option.

Looking up from my hand, I noticed she was out of sight, deciding I had to find her.

As I followed the same path she'd taken, I wondered if she would forgive me. Surely she would, given the fact that I could help her go back home.

Unless, of course, she found Kisling on her own, though I doubt she'd be able to. He's been studying the Aquatic Ruins for some reason and made himself a sort of home there.

Crazy old man...

As I walked along the pathway, eyes on the ground, I heard a scream that shook me from thought.

That voice - it was operatic in tone.

Knowing it had to be hers, I broke out into a run, soon coming to a halt.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. That woman was now slowly changing form, her body soon a strange, dark blue shadow.

She looked so much like myself in shadow form, but _how_?

Walking forward without thought, I stopped a few feet from her, Navy turning toward me. Now I could see the shape of her yellow eyes looked more feminine, not as wide and more pointed, and her yellow mouth not as large.

She was also slightly narrower than my own shadow form and her shoulders pointed downward a bit, Navy staring at me, looking surprised.

"What... _happened_ to me?" she asked, examining her new arms.

I didn't know what to say, although my subconscious noticed she looked quite nice.

At that moment I mentally kicked myself. Not just once, but _twice_.

Then suddenly she slowly shifted back to her normal form, falling to her knees from what I assumed was shock, the expression on her face telling me she hadn't change form by will.

What exactly had happened to her?

"It seems you've become a shadow demon," I said smoothly as I walked over to her.

"But _how_ and _why_?" she asked, my hand now reaching out to her.

"Perhaps your time in this world has changed you, both in mind and body... But regardless, I've come to apologize," I said, Navy taking my hand and standing.

I then turned my back to her, arms crossed. I _hated_ apologizing.

"I shouldn't have hit you," I finally conceded.

"And I shouldn't have said what I did," Navy admitted, "but I really _can_ take care of myself, Stanley..."

Hearing her, I shook slightly, anger and confusion filling me. No matter how many times she insisted she could protect herself, I still felt intent on keeping her from fighting.

But why did I care whether or not she fought?

Yet still these emotions filling me wouldn't dissipate.

There was only one thing I could do; I had to keep her from fighting and I knew only one way to guarantee she'd listen.

Slipping into shadow form, I quickly moved behind her, changing form once more.

I didn't know what else to do.

Before she could turn around or escape my grasp, I had her by the throat, firm but careful.

One hand, however, was raised further up, two fingers now gently touching her lips.

Angered at myself for misjudging my grasp, the hand at her neck tightened, my thoughts soon broken as I could feel her fear.

She was shaking, her lips quivering across my fingers.

She knew I was powerful and was right to fear me, which should have pleased me, and yet...

This fear she had didn't give me satisfaction.

At least it wasn't the kind of satisfaction it was supposed to bring. Instead, so strangely, the power I obviously had over her somehow excited me in a new way I'd never felt before.

But _why_?

Although it's in my very nature to cause pain in situations such as these, I wanted no pain to befall her.

In fact, I was now very gentle in my touch.

I remember what she'd once said regarding pain, so I must be careful.

I must touch her gently. I must touch her softly.

Why must I, though?

This question was left unanswered, though I simply knew what I wanted; I wanted to touch her gently, with care to her delicate features; I wanted to touch her softly so that I wouldn't hurt her.

Why can I not hurt her?

Thoughts racing wildly through my mind, I felt her shaking even still.

Was it too late? Would she now fear me far more than I would wish?

Remembering what I had planned to do, I composed myself, speaking softly, though in a deep tone.

I had to maintain authority.

"I've claimed you as my slave," I informed her, Navy's lips quivering.

Once again this power over her excited me, but I didn't dwell on it.

"You belong to _me_, woman," I said, a light growl following.

It apparently caused her much fright, her soft lips allowing a short, unsteady sigh, which warmed my fingers.

Carefully, I pressed my fingers to her lips more firmly, "From now on you will call me master."

So close to her, I finally noticed the scent of her, her hair a lovely fragrance.

But the smell of a human was sill there, perplexing me.

I knew the smell of humans, hers undoubtedly so, but somehow different. Normally I couldn't _stand_ the smell of humans, but hers; hers was enough to make my tongue flicker across my lips.

It was then that I decided.

"You will stay with me," I whispered, my tone still laced with malevolence.

Now she trembled even more so, my hands slowly releasing her.

I knew no more force should be used.

"I didn't wish to use force, but you gave me no choice," I told her as she turned around slowly. "You are no longer allowed to fight whatsoever. Is that understood?"

She nodded lightly, eyes averted. Did she fear me more than I had wished?

"Let me see your eyes, slave."

Her eyes then rested on mine timidly, blinking from what seemed to be fright.

I couldn't stand it...

Reaching out, I caressed her cheek, thumb rubbing softly, "Do not worry... Your master will treat you well."

Her eyes then looked in mine and I couldn't even lie to myself; the sight of those eyes, so soft and deep, left me awestruck.

Then I realized I was staring, feeling foolish.

My hand slipping away, I turned from her, "My butler will retrieve your things... But for now, it is getting late."

Turning to her once more, I took her hand, "Let us go, slave."

* * *

**+End POV+**


	14. Completely Enslaved

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen - Completely Enslaved**

* * *

Three and a half months later, as they had stopped in Tenel, Navy visiting Ari, Stan had went to the bar, agreeing to meet at the bridge before sunset where they had always met before.

As of now, he was waiting there rather impatiently.

She seemed to be taking far too long, and after the sun moved to signal the latter part of the evening, Stan felt something was wrong.

Deciding to look for her, he went down the path she normally took, stopping after a few minutes worth of walking to find her being harassed by a group of five human males.

One now had her pinned to a large tree, blood on her face trickling down from her lips and forehead, her clothing torn as if by wild animals and her weakened body showing signs that she'd been fighting back for a while now.

He remained unseen to them, barely out of their vision, but when he caught sight of the one against her touching her waist as his other hand moved to her inner thigh, he lost any and all reason.

Coming out from where he was, three of the men saw him, Stan not willing to talk, his hands summoning up orbs of a dark substance - some sort of dark magic - each hurled at the three.

He then struck the fourth, seeing the fifth kissing her neck as she cried, his senses lost and found only in attacking him.

Using black magic, he restrained the other four while ripping the fifth man off of her and using merely his fists to punch him in the stomach and face, still attacking him brutally as Navy slid down the tree.

She had tried to fight back, but she'd been unprepared and unarmed, forced into one's arms as she fought.

Her fighting merely earned her a slap in the face, being thrown toward a rock where she scraped her forehead, the blood on her lips from when she bit a man as he kissed her hard on the lips. In return, he bit her back, shoving her around between the others.

Eventually, she had been too tired to fight, Stan soon coming afterward, who she now heard slightly as he shouted at the man he was attacking.

It was as if he'd lost control, finally dropping the man when he was satisfied, having broken his ribs and jaw. He then lifted the others with his dark magic and threw them back, each too scared to retaliate and taking the man on the ground quickly as they turned tail and ran.

"Pathetic cowards," Stan mumbled, wiping blood from his jaw where the only hit he received had gone.

Then he seemed to remember her, as if breaking out of his trance, turning and going to her side as she sat on her knees, bunched up on the ground and crying.

He knelt down, slowly touching her shoulder, though she flinched, pulling away. She wasn't entirely aware of her surroundings, Stan finally coaxing her to look at him.

"It's only me; Stan..."

She looked up at him, his face expressing concern at the sight of hers before he moved forward, embracing her.

"...How many times have I told you not to dilly-dally so long?" he asked with a sigh. "You could have been _killed_."

She cried onto his shoulder, hands grasping his jacket, his hand rubbing her back, "Sh, shh... It's alright now. I've got you..."

He felt strange, comforting her like this, but strangely enough he didn't much mind it, gently stroking her hair.

"I've told you time and time again not to be so careless... If I'd not come looking for you, you might not have even been _alive_ now," he said, breathing in and smelling the flowery scent of her hair. "Be careful from now on."

Navy nodded, still sobbing onto his shoulder as he sighed, her voice small and wavering, "I... I'm sorry... I... I was so... so scared..."

He felt pained for her, nudging her head gently with his own, "You'll be alright now... But you mustn't be so careless again."

She nodded, Stan sighing, "It's not safe when you're not near me. Do you understand?"

Nodding, she softly said "yes," Stan thinking she could have died had he not found her.

After a minute of thoughts running wildly through his mind, he sighed them away, gently wiping the blood from her lips and forehead with his thumb, brushing the back of his fingers to the tears on her cheeks.

"Let's go, hm?"

Not waiting for an answer, he then helped her to stand, Navy soon walking on her own.

* * *

As they walked in an uncomfortable silence, she thought of how he'd felt about her being the Black Cat, knowing he was unaware that she had recently given in to temptation and donned her alter ego once more, her eyes on the road ahead of her.

Stan, on the other hand, was thinking of what he should do, the two stopping on the bridge. Both looked into the water below, Navy suddenly interrupting his thoughts.

"Stan... I... I have to tell you something," she said softly. "...I went out as the Black Cat the other night..."

To this, he merely growled in reply.

Navy looked down a bit, staring at the water just as he was, "I couldn't help it..."

Stan growled, hands gripping the bridge's railing.

"It's like an addiction," she confessed. "Not only the thievery, but the killing of those heroes... They piss me _off_ with their constant need to be better than those of us who know how boring and _pointless_ their efforts are."

She let go of the railing, walking off a bit as if having bottled up energy fueled by aggression.

"I won't stop being the Black Cat, Stan," she told him resolutely. "You shouldn't have even saved me..."

"Go ahead and kill me if you'd like," she said as he watched her begin to walk away. "Honestly, I don't care... I lost my life when I lost my world."

Stan teleported in front of her, taking her by the wrist, "You're trying my patience, _woman_, but this is your final warning... Cease your foolishness."

He'd lost all sense of who she was, a snarl on his lips.

"Let _go_ of me," she said in a low voice.

"Do you forget who you're dealing with, girl?"

His eyes were menacing, Navy staring up into them as he sneered and reminded her cruelly, "You've no choice but to serve me. In the end, you will fall under my rule regardless... Now, let us--"

Jerking away from him, she looked him dead in the eyes, "You don't seem to understand that I will _not_ stop being the Black Cat, Evil King or _no_ Evil King."

Stan growled, "You may think I wouldn't harm you, but I am a _demon_; I have no affections. You will either bow down or suffer... Which would you prefer?"

"Why _ask_ if you have no affections?!" she spat, glaring up into his golden orbs.

At that, he was finally angered enough to use his dark magic, holding her in place.

"So be it," he decided. "If you'll merely mock my mercy, I might as well withhold it."

The restraints of dark magic squeezed tightly around her wrists, Stan seeing her whimper in pain, almost losing the control he had over them.

Quickly, he regained his concentration, "Should I kill you or keep you?"

Navy growled, "As I said, I lost my life when I lost my world, so _kill_ me."

Simply ticked off at her reply, he tightened the restraints, one at her throat choking her.

Unable to breathe, tears fell from her eyes as pain coursed through her wrists and neck. Feeling her legs weaken, her body soon fell, though she hung from the restraints.

Hearing her cry out in pain, however, he lost focus on his objective once again, seeing the tears on her face and losing control, the restraints breaking.

Set loose instantly, she fell to her knees, one hand on the ground as she rubbed her throat, coughing.

Stan then realized, for whatever reason, he couldn't kill her, annoyed by this and angered at himself as he turned and walked away.

'_Why the hell couldn't I kill her?_' he asked himself silently, eyes slightly widened and almost twitching from shock at his own inability.

He could've killed her then and there, but her mere tears dissuaded him.

_Why_?

* * *

Still on her knees, Navy simply looked down at the ground, '_He couldn't do it..._'

Her eyes rose to meet his retreating figure, mind pondering, '_Why couldn't he kill me?_'

His frame seemed to exude anger, Navy looking back to the ground as she slowly got up.

'_Demons may have some sort of affections __**after all**__,_' she thought as she sighed to herself, a noise behind her making her jump.

"Who's there?!" her shaky voice demanded.

No answer.

Waiting a moment, she looked around, the sound not repeating.

It had actually been Stan in his shadow form, mixing into the shadows as he watched her, though she thought nothing of it.

Turning back to where Stan's figure had been only to see he was gone, she sighed, looking at the ground.

Silently, she began to walk in the direction of the tunnel through which she'd come to this world, making her way inside, Stan all the while following in secret.

"Take me back home, damn it!" she cried out in despair.

Her shout filled the hall, Navy falling to her knees in tears, "...I just want to go home."

Stan wondered if he'd made her want to leave, shifting across the floor and nearing the back of the hall where she sat, slumped over, back to him.

She obviously didn't realize that ghosts were present, Stan wondering if she'd been here many times before, knowing it was dangerous.

As he thought, one came out from the wall, spying the girl and thinking she looked like a good meal, Stan silently popping up behind her.

The ghosts had all learned about Stan by now, this one knowing quite _well_ the stories that he was a ruthless Evil King, so it retreated hastily, Navy never realizing the presence of either.

After finding she hadn't noticed him, Stan sunk back down into the floor, a puddle of black.

This place was too dangerous to leave her in, his form moving towards her, soon close enough to see her shivering, the hall cold from the night air mixing with the darkness of the corridor.

Without saying a word, he slowly rose up from the floor, gently wrapping around the front of her waist and over her back, Navy jumping and lightly gasping from fright.

Hearing this, he moved his head to face her, "It's just me."

She calmed slightly, but was still uncomfortable, Stan disregarding this, "You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should _you_," she retorted, annoyed.

"I wouldn't assume such a thing... especially when I just scared away a ghost who'd decided to attack you."

Navy felt a little ashamed of her attitude after that, turning her head from him.

"I... was possibly too threatening with my approach before," he said, not really sure what to say as he looked off, yellow eyes softening. "But I... I want to continue seeing you."

Navy looked at the shadow, blinking.

"I want you to cease being the Black Cat... regardless of how powerless the heroes are," he said, wrapping across her side in an attempt to hide his face from sight. "Although I'm... certain you're capable, I... feel it best that you do not put yourself in such situations 'lest I find you harmed."

He had a point. She knew he did, but wasn't sure what to say.

"Now, listen to me; be my slave _completely_ and I will protect you with all of my power," he offered the woman. "I know what's best for you."

Thinking it over, it seemed a good idea.

She had seen how powerful the demon was and without her weapons, she was vulnerable, deciding it was the best thing to do.

"A-Alright..."

After hearing her surrender, he slowly shifted back to human form, now holding her from behind.

"Then you will serve me, and in turn I'll protect you..."

He knew he would've done so regardless, but she didn't need to know...


	15. The Unfortunate Boy I

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen - The Unfortunate Boy An Unfortunate Man (Part I)**

* * *

For two weeks now, Navy had been Stan's slave, her personality when near him faded and obedient. Stan had even visited Ari with her in tow to inform him she was now his new slave, knowing it would impress the boy. (It never hurts to look good in front of one's slaves, you know.)

But Stan had agreed to keep this from Rosalyn, at least for now. He knew Rosalyn had gotten to his poor slave first, attempting to poison her mind with hero rubbish no doubt, the two having become allies, or basically friends.

He didn't care to hear her complaints and shock toward his new slave and he wasn't looking forward to battling her over this either.

As of right now, they were staying at Ari's for a few nights, the boy insisting Navy stay for a visit.

They hadn't actually gotten to talk as often as he'd like since Stan had met her, Stan currently terrorizing the bar in Tenel to let the two talk. He hadn't really wanted to listen, now drinking ale as he sat in the empty bar, bored out of his mind.

Meanwhile, Ari talked with Navy, asking how she'd ended up becoming Stan's slave, to which she gave the basic back-story...

* * *

**+Ari POV+**

* * *

Sitting in my room, I listened to Na explain what had caused her to become Stan's second slave.

As she sat there on the edge of my bed, talking, I also found out she'd changed into shadow form, just as Stan could.

She then explained that neither she nor Stan understood exactly why such had happened, but that he thought some humanity was left in her, and to that, I'd have to agree.

Ever since only a few days after meeting her, we'd become friends, and I could easily name her my best friend now.

We were so alike, yet so different, now both under the enslavement of an Evil King as well.

Knowing that, I could assume she'd tag along with my master when he decided to drop by, for which I was grateful.

Navy was the one person I loved to be around and being able to simply be near her was something I had once took for granted.

You see, although I was now a bit more outgoing than before I'd gone on my adventure, I was still a pushover. Most would use me like a doormat in one way or another, whether constantly or occasionally, but Navy had never done so.

In fact, Navy was the opposite. She would willingly let me push her into doing things, though I'd hardly done so to her.

The day I found out I could, I had urged her into going to the circus with me, telling her I'd be the only one I knew going alone.

She'd been once before and knew my reasons, which were selfish, but she had still gone with me.

She didn't have to, but she did, and after finding that out I had actually used it to my advantage, having her fetch my mother some bread from the baker's instead of having to do it myself for once.

But she didn't refuse my orders, although I knew she could have easily, and somehow I understood she knew it too.

Since then, I realized I didn't want to use her like that and felt badly about it, but she never seemed to show any signs of minding.

Even so, I tried never to do so again, but her compliance had made an impression on me. Soon I found she would act as I do, never wanting to turn down an errand from someone in need, though I knew she held a dark side.

I knew it better than even _she_ knew...

I wasn't stupid. When I heard the news about the newest cat burglar - emphasis on "_cat_" - I'd pondered over whether or not it could be her, although I wasn't certain of it until she became known as the Black Cat.

Her claws were a dead giveaway, but even _Ros_ wasn't quick enough to catch on.

I knew she had such an intense darkness in her and it reminded me of Stan, though her kindness could be just as strong.

Thinking of it now, her dark side was even stronger than our master's, Stanley never really killing anyone.

At least, he hadn't intentionally killed anyone _yet_ as far as I knew.

Even so, I didn't think of her much differently. Sometimes the heroes got on my nerves as well, really. After all, being stuck between Rosalyn, the Great Hero, and the Great Evil King was enough to make me thank god for neutrality.

And, in a way, Navy was neutral as well.

She could be either extremes, which I somehow felt could level one another out into a sort of neutral state all her own.

I seemed to relate to her so much, even though we could be so different, which I assume was what made us such good friends.

And now we shared another common factor; we'd both become slaves of the same Evil King, Navy still explaining to me how it had happened.

Honestly, I was glad she'd somehow made her way into this world, and somewhere along the way, I hadn't notice something that soon became all too obvious...

* * *

**+End POV+**

* * *

When it became evening, Stan returned, looking for the two downstairs.

Unable to find them, he asked Ari's mother, who was cooking dinner, where they were.

"Oh, she and Ari are upstairs, Stanley," she said, turning from the stove. "Would you like some stew? It's my famous blend!"

The woman then giggled lightly, Stan taking a step back.

"Uh... _No_," he said before turning. "I'm just going to go check on my slaves."

"Oh. Okay!" she said merrily, smiling cheerfully as she turned back to the stove.

Stan was only happy she hadn't insisted, hearing her cheerfully singing some nonsense about being a wonderful mother as he left.

Walking up the stairs, he headed for his slave's room, Annie coming from her own as he reached the top.

"Hi, Stan!" she called, walking down the steps.

She was eerily like her mother...

Not even bothering to correct her insolence by leaving off his title, he kept on going towards Ari's room, eventually reaching the door.

Without hesitation or even a knock, he then turned the doorknob...

* * *

**+Ari POV+**

* * *

Before Stan's entrance, Navy had begun telling me her own funny stories of our master.

Even now, though he'd become gradually more of an actual threat, he would still do odd "Stanley" things.

Laughing with her, I learned he'd fallen in the river at the bridge they used to meet on not but two days ago.

She said he'd given her the coldest glare as she couldn't help laughing, the Evil King soaked thoroughly.

Soon I came to tell her my own stories of him, laughter filling the room.

Then, demonstrating something that had happened, I stood up, impersonating Stanley. I acted out how he had reprimanded me once for laughing when he tripped, Navy falling back on the bed and holding her stomach.

I even doubled over, laughing right along, remembering the event as if it were yesterday.

Slowly, however, we both calmed down, Navy once again sitting as I still stood.

"I'm glad he let you stay over," I finally said. "I missed just hanging out and talking."

She smiled, "Same here... I'm actually surprised he didn't make me _leave_."

I then thought on something, fairly sure it wouldn't apply, though I decided to ask of it anyway.

"I know Stan's not usually too... _aggressive_, but," I slightly fumbled for the words to say, "he hasn't... _hurt_ you or anything... has he?"

I then noticed her look away, my surprise clearly shown on my face.

He'd obviously done something to her, Navy seemingly searching for what to tell me.

"What... What did he do, Na?"

I was now worried, her eyes lifting to me.

"He just lost his temper... a couple of times," she said, looking off. "You _know_ how he is."

Taking a step forward, I stopped as she looked up, "What did he do to you?"

She sighed, "I said something I shouldn't have once and he slapped me, but he apologized, and we both know how hard that is for him... _But_..."

Unwittingly, I took another step forward, Navy's eyes downcast.

"What is it, Na?" I asked worriedly.

Looking up to me, she seemed hesitant to tell me, but finally gave in.

"He almost... _killed_ me," she said, shocking me.

Stanley almost went so far as to _kill_ her?

"But it's not that bad. _Really_," she tried to assure me. "He couldn't do it..."

In her eyes, I saw thoughts travel, realizing he must've done more, but knowing she'd told me the worst of it.

I felt so bad for her, now understanding how she'd come to be so obedient toward him, and knowing he'd even attempted _killing_ her made me angry with him.

How could he do such a thing to her?

Not only shocked, but also angry and saddened for her, I moved without thought or full awareness...

* * *

**+End POV+**


	16. The Unfortunate Boy II

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen - The Unfortunate Boy An Unfortunate Man (Part II)**

* * *

**+Navy POV+**

* * *

Ari had suddenly moved forward before I could say a word, his lips entwined with mine as I was shocked.

What had made him suddenly act in such a way?

I was barely able to breathe, this man I knew as a friend carefully, with gentle force, pushing me back onto his bed.

My body was frozen, refusing to react in any way, mind reeling.

What was going to happen?

I needed so badly to move away, but the only movement I could muster were blinks and the twitches of my fingers.

How had this happened...?

* * *

**+Ari POV+**

* * *

I had suddenly moved right before her, slightly leaning down and locking my lips with hers.

She was my best friend - the only one who hadn't pushed me around or told me to speak up. She never made me feel insignificant like Marlene, Stan, and all the others did.

Navy made me feel important to someone - truly important - for the first time in my life, and now I knew what I hadn't dared to realize...

Marlene was away, trying to find herself, and in her absence, someone had taken more than just her place. Navy had stealthily taken over my heart, now underneath me in my bed, my body having led hers somewhat forcefully to lie down.

She was practically frozen, my lips trailing her neck, hands soon cradling her head as I moved to return to her warm, soft lips.

They didn't respond in any form, my urges sending my tongue to part her lips and enter her mouth, caressing her tongue.

She had never ordered me around like Marlene, taking orders of my own instead. She'd never made me feel like a servant, but rather an equal. She'd never made me feel like a boy; she'd made me feel like a man.

I wanted to move away, but at the same time, I wanted her to know that I had more of a reason for wanting her to stay, albeit one I'd only just found out myself.

My body wouldn't listen to reason, only urges and desperate need, the woman below me shocked senseless at my sudden proclamation of lust. But there was love, and plenty of it, the notion of stopping soon fleeing my thoughts.

And then one of the worst things that could happen during this mindless self-indulgence did...

* * *

**+Stan POV+**

* * *

Opening the door to my slave's room, I was met with a shocking sight, the boy on top of my new slave, practically attacking her lips!

Frozen for a moment, I saw Ari didn't even budge from her, and Navy looked just as frozen in shock as I.

Then I shook it off, anger seeping in as I lifted a hand, snarling.

Dark magic soon ripped the boy from her, tossing him across the room and into the wall as I shouted, "What in the hell were you _doing_ to her, boy?!"

Not waiting for an answer as he picked himself up to a sit, I turned to Navy, going to her.

"Navy... Navy, are you alright?"

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I noticed her hand on her chest, her eyes opening to see me looking down to her before she blinked twice, still in shock.

Hands at each side of her, above her shoulders, I lifted one, caressing her cheek.

"I see I shouldn't have left you," I said, throwing a glare to the boy.

Ari's back to me, I growled, looking to her once more, "Are you alright?"

She merely nodded, moving a bit to her side, eyes on the boy.

"Is... Is he alright?" she asked, my hand sliding from her cheek as I stood.

"He is," I said, glaring at Ari as I readied dark magic in my hands, "but he'll soon be dead."

"_What_?" she asked, my head turned back to her.

She was holding herself up slightly, seeing my hands, my gaze returning to my other slave who sat, slumped in the floor.

"No slave of _mine_ is going to lay his hands on you in such ways," I growled out, not even catching myself to correct my wording.

Ready to strike him with dark orbs, I suddenly heard her voice, her hand daring to touch my back as I looked to her.

"Please, Stan... _No_," she begged, hand quickly moving.

Looking back to Ari, though she had dared to touch me, I growled, hands dispelling the energy.

"Consider this your last warning, slave," I snarled, sensing Navy wince from behind me. "If you dare to touch her again I'll destroy you without hesitation."

It seemed she had expected to be the one reprimanded, my eyes on her as I faced her only a moment before taking her hand and leading her out of the room.

"Wh-Where...?"

Hearing her stutter out, I answered without stopping or looking to her, "We'll be staying in the basement."

* * *

**+Navy POV+**

* * *

Following Stan helplessly, I was confused about so many things.

Why had Ari done such a thing? Why did Stan become so angry? Why were we going to stay in the basement?

But the one thing that worried me most was if Ari was okay.

He hadn't said a word after Stan had tossed him into the wall.

But now I found myself in the basement, Stan facing me as we stopped in the middle of the room.

He still held my hand, my eyes blinking as I looked at him.

"You will never allow anyone else to touch you in such ways ever again. Is that understood?"

Blinking, I nodded, everything still sinking in.

I still had far too many questions running through my mind.

And then confusion came from his words, my mind unable to piece it all together.

"Other than _who_?" I asked, not quite understanding as my head tilted.

* * *

**+Ari POV+**

* * *

Still sitting in the floor, I was simply unable to move.

Not only did _my_ actions shock me, but _Stan's_.

Why had he become so angry to the point of wanting to _kill_ me over something he shouldn't care about at all?

And then I understood, realizing so many things all at once.

How could I have missed this simple, obvious fact?

Not wanting to think of it or of anything, I slowly pulled myself up and walked toward my bed, falling into it and smelling the scent she'd left behind...

* * *

**+End POV+**


	17. Demoness' Lullaby

**A/N:** The song is _Asleep_ by The Smiths. I in no way claim it as my own.

In fact, if you like their music, I encourage you to buy it.

* * *

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen - Demoness' Lullaby**

* * *

**+Stan POV+**

* * *

At her question, I didn't know what to say.

I couldn't tell her I'd accidentally stated it in such a way as I had in my mind.

In my mind, anyone else was anyone other than I.

But _why_? It made no sense to me.

However, I didn't care to explain it right now.

All I could do was pull her roughly into my arms as I growled at the sight of that boy on top of her fresh in my mind...

Moving back after a moment, I was surprised to see tears, lifting her head by the chin.

I didn't quite understand why she was crying.

"Why... are you...?"

She shook her head, "It's... It's nothing."

"Tell me, slave," I commanded.

"I thought... Ari was... my _friend_," I heard her whisper.

That boy had caused her these tears, yet she had kept me from killing him.

_Why_? Why hadn't she been more than happy to see me destroy him for touching her?

Slowly, she moved away, walking aimlessly toward the wall before falling to her knees.

She was crying, her face hidden from my sight, but I could hear her sobbing softly.

I could hear her whispering a silent question - a lone word, which I'd asked myself all too often lately - repeating from her lips.

As I walked forward, she became quiet, my hand curling into a fist. That boy was the cause of her pain, the memory of him touching her like that filling my mind, my fist slamming into the wall and causing her to cower.

Watching her reaction, my hand fell.

Without thought, I found myself kneeling before her and carefully wiping away her tears.

"These "_friends_" of yours will only betray you," I told her. "They are human and you are a shadow demon... The scent of a human is no longer on your skin."

"Wh-_What_?" she asked, my eyes catching sight of proof that she was becoming one of my kind.

Touching my finger to the bottom of her newly grown fang, I felt its sharpness all but pierce my skin.

My finger retreating, I looked into her eyes, "You've acquired a fang."

Sneering a bit, I saw her eyes looking to my fang as it showed slightly, giving her a view of both.

Then, with slight amusement, I watched her tongue flicking across her lone fang curiously.

Moments later, she gave an awkward half-grin, exposing her fang.

I had to admit to myself that I found it rather charming in its own way, my tongue gliding across my own fangs absent-mindedly.

"You're one of my kind," I said, lifting her hand in mine. "Our kind reside in the Shadowlands and I am their King."

I hadn't told any outsiders of this, but she would have found out sooner or later.

Keeping it from her had proven hard, but now was the time to reveal my rule over my homeland.

"Before you ever appeared in _this_, my world, I returned to the Shadowlands to take back the kingdom Gohma had resided over," I explained to the demoness. "I am the reincarnation of the Evil King Gohma and thus regained control effortlessly."

"You... You're the ruler of... my kind?" she asked as I looked to her hand.

It rested so softly, my breath caught before I returned my gaze to her.

"Yes, I am your King," I replied. "Because of what you are - a shadow demon - you will be hunted by heroes... They will be unlike those you've encountered, save that damned parasol woman."

Looking to her hand again, I wondered of the Great Hero of old idly, remembering the house in Triste that had his name written on it.

"Rosalyn is the Great Hero, her skills much stronger than you have ever seen," I continued, looking up to meet her curious eyes.

"_Rosalyn_?" she echoed, taking in all this new information.

With a nod, my eyes fell to our hands, "She is far too strong for you, but I'm certain that once she finds what you've become, she will..."

I couldn't finish my thought, Navy inquiring as to what that damned hero would do, my eyes unwilling to meet hers.

How could I _explain_ this to her?

I wasn't even certain the pork chop hero would comprehend that this woman-- No, I have to be insane.

What am I thinking to ever consider that this girl, who was human before ever becoming one of my kind, meant anything to me?

And still, though I wished to deny it, Navy _did_ mean something to me.

She meant a lot more than I could ever say to anyone.

I couldn't possibly tell her that she had deterred me from my world conquest this entire time. I couldn't even remember the plot she and I spoke of once before clearly.

I hadn't been _forced_ to help her, nor had I been forced to continue _protecting_ her.

As an Evil King, the bargain we had surely meant nothing to me.

This girl, however, meant more to me than I wanted to admit.

She had known what I was, yet didn't try to escape me, though she feared me.

Even through the fear, there was something there that kept her from running from me.

Looking up to see her watching me intently, I decided not to tell her what I had wanted to say.

I didn't wish her to fear being hunted by someone she had come to trust for what she had become.

As long as I could, I would protect her from anyone, be it friend or foe.

Sneering, I kissed the back of her hand, meeting her eyes once more.

"It's a secret," I said, placing a finger over my lips.

Looking at me with disappointment and frustration, she practically pouted, "Now you've made me _curious_."

"Then I will bribe you with Black Cat Jewels," I replied with a grin, using dark magic to summon up a handful.

By my hand, the jewels floated in midair, Navy watching with fascination as I directed the jewels to dance around her.

It always amused me to see her reactions to such simple magic, her eyes lit up like diamonds.

As for those jewels, I wondered why she loved them so.

Thinking on it as I guided the jewels around her neck, I recalled something I'd learned of them.

Apparently they were "reminiscent of darkness itself," which seemed a perfect reason for the demoness' attraction to them.

Slowly ceasing the movement of my hand, I directed them before her, Navy reaching out her hands as I lightly placed each in her palms carefully. Breaking the ties of my magic to them, they now sat in her pale hands, Navy smiling brightly as she looked to me.

She looked cute, smiling to me with that lone fang...

What the hell am I thinking?

* * *

**+End POV+**

* * *

"We should sleep," Stan said. "Tomorrow we shall leave."

"Where will we go?" asked Navy, the Evil King moving away a bit and resting his back to the wall.

He thought a moment, muttering, "Anywhere but here."

Looking over, he saw she thankfully hadn't heard, cutting his reply short, "Anywhere."

As she curled up in the corner beside him, he watched and wondered where to go.

"I should take you to the Shadowlands," he suddenly said, gaining a surprised look from his slave, though he looked away.

"Sing to me, slave," he said, his eyes closed as his head leaned back against the wall.

Navy blinked, not so sure she wanted to venture into a place like the Shadowlands.

If she were as weak as he'd said, wouldn't it be _dangerous_?

"..._Slave_?" he asked, Navy shaking her thoughts away.

"Well... What should I sing?"

She watched him as he furrowed his brow in thought, "Anything... Sing something soft from your world like you usually do."

"A-Alright," she replied, looking off as she searched her memories for a song.

Finding one, she began to hum the melody, Stan's brow lifting.

Silently, he listened, her eyes slowly closing as well.

"Sing me to sleep. Sing me to sleep," she began softly. "I'm tired and I, I want to go to bed."

Her voice was soothing and soft, his shoulders relaxing as she went on, "Sing me to sleep. Sing me to sleep... and then leave me alone."

"Don't try to wake me in the morning 'cause I will be gone," she sang, following with a gentle hum.

Stan felt every care melting from him with ease, her words lulling him into sleep so sweetly.

"Don't feel bad for me," Navy continued. "I want you to know... deep in the cell of my heart I will feel so glad to go."

Humming to the tune in her head, she, too, felt herself calming.

"Sing me to sleep. Sing me to sleep. I don't want to wake up on my own anymore."

Her audience, quietly listening, imagined her singing before a mass whose silence was absolute.

They were left speechless as the demoness cooed into a microphone with a magnificent power.

"Sing to me. Sing to me. I don't want to wake up on my own anymore," she sang, Stan watching her every movement in his fantasy.

"Don't feel bad for me," the demoness softly sung. "I want you to know... deep in the cell of my heart I really want to go."

In her own fantasy, she sang to a crowd that fell silent, magical waves of sound from her lips turning them to obedient, unwavering slaves whose lives were dedicated to obeying her every whim.

"There is another world," she sang with a small smile. "There is a better world."

Stan, with his waking dream, shared a small smile as well.

"Well, there must be," her voice sang even more softly. "Well, there must be... Well, there must be... Well, there must be... Well..."

As she hummed the tune, both imagined her upon a stage, dancing gracefully. She would twirl and sway as a long dress followed with adoration.

"Bye-bye... Bye-bye... Bye-bye," she sang lightly.

She wished she were on that stage right then, slowly overpowering the minds of her audience who would soon serve her.

"Bye," she finally whispered, gently humming the finale of her song...


	18. Defiance

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen - Defiance**

* * *

Waking in the candle lit basement, Stan slightly stretched.

He didn't like sleeping, but his dreams had been pleasant lately, though he couldn't recall what they were.

Then he remembered Navy, looking over to his side.

"What the--?" he asked the empty room.

Pulling himself up to a stand, he headed toward the door, walking out of the room and up the stairs.

He hoped she'd only gone off to find breakfast and not that damn boy.

Closing the door as he walked into the living room, his eyes trailed the stairs before surveying the doorway to the kitchen.

With a twitch of his ear, he picked up on a distinct sound, eyes shifting to the upper floor.

His hearing was superb, the demon certain he could hear a faint sobbing.

Heading up the staircase, the sound grew, his ear twitching once more as his eyes widened.

That sound was coming from Navy, Stan sinking to the floor as a pool of black.

Carefully, he then made his way to the end of the hall and into the corner, listening to the voices behind Ari's bedroom door...

* * *

"I don't want to go, Ari," Navy's voice whispered. "I'm afraid."

"Go where?" the boy asked, kneeling down to the floor where she sat.

She had come to his room as a shadow and waited for him to wake up, worrying Stan would soon come to find her. However, she didn't want to wake Ari from his slumber, waiting nervously.

He had only woken up minutes ago, Navy changing form and scaring him so badly he fell.

"Stan wants to take me to the Shadowlands."

"_What_?!" Ari shouted, soon covering his mouth.

Neither wanted Stan to catch them after what had happened yesterday.

"He told me last night he hadn't told anyone that he rules there now," she replied.

Ari then stood, thinking of what to do.

"He said that I'll be hunted now that I'm a shadow demon, _too_, Ari," Navy cried as she looked up to him.

Moving down, he embraced his friend, "Sh, it's okay. We'll find a way to keep you safe."

Nodding as she cried on his shoulder, she softly thanked him, Ari closing his eyes and smiling a little.

"It's alright," he assured her softly.

Afterward, silence lingered until the boy's eyes opened, an idea forming.

"Maybe we could use the Aquatic Ruins as a shelter for a while," he offered, moving back a bit to see her face.

"The Aquatic Ruins?" she echoed. "Aren't those near Rashelo?"

Nodding, he remembered the time he'd had to enter the ruins to save Marlene.

So much had seemed to change from that time until now.

"I've heard that Professor Kisling is staying there for research, but I think he'll keep quiet about us being there."

"_Us_?" echoed the demoness. "Ari, you shouldn't stay there."

"But what about--?"

"_Stan_?" she asked the boy, his head nodding.

Looking off, she seemed somewhat frightened by the thought of what the Evil King might do, Ari turning her head.

"I'm not letting you stay there alone," he told her firmly. "Kisling wouldn't be much help, and you shouldn't have to do this alone."

Navy shook her head, "No, you ca--"

"I'm going with you, Navy, and that's final."

Slowly, she nodded, Stan all the while listening in and becoming more pissed off at Ari by the second.

He didn't quite understand it, but he wasn't angry with her, just the boy. It puzzled the demon to no end, but he shook it off, hearing them continue.

"Navy," Ari said, "we should leave before Stan wakes up."

Silent a moment, she then nodded her head, Ari reaching out to touch her cheek. Then, with slight hesitation in his mind, he leaned forward and kissed the demoness gently before moving to a stand.

Looking down to her, he saw her blinking, offering his hand with a small smile.

Once she accepted, she moved to her feet, her mind flooded with questions and emotions.

"Why... did you...?"

"Because," he said softly, "I love you."

His hand to her cheek, he saw her face flush, smiling warmly...

* * *

Unable to take anymore of this, Stan slipped in under the door, taking form as he snarled, "Get away from her, you insolent little--"

Moving in front of her, Ari gulped, knowing he'd be a fool to think he could stand up to the Great Evil King and live, but he had to try.

"She doesn't want to go with you!"

Both could see the Evil King was displeased, to say the least.

"Then she doesn't have to go," he said, although he still looked furious.

At that, the two didn't quite understand what the problem was, but the Evil King filled them in.

"My slave is not for you to _touch_, boy," he growled, soon shoving him aside as he grasped Navy's shoulder, taking her into his arms protectively.

Having stumbled, Ari slowly pulled himself to his feet, the demoness watching him worriedly.

"You keep your hands off her," Stan ordered, pulling away and leading Navy out of the room, down the stairs and into the living room in silence.

* * *

Once they stood still, he looked back the way they'd come, making sure the boy didn't follow.

Then, looking back to the demoness, he let go of her hand, "If you do not wish to go, that's up to you for now. Eventually, I must return, and I won't allow you to stay here."

Crossing his arms, he looked off toward the boy's room again, then back to her eyes.

"Either way, you'll be escorted by _moi_, which is the safest you could possibly be," the Evil King assured her. "After all, that _was_ our agreement, was it not?"

Nodding, she looked at the floor, "I... I guess we should go then."

Secretly, she wanted to leave Ari to himself for a while. She felt all his suffering over being near her was more her fault than Stan's. Stan was simply Stan, after all.

Suddenly, he lifted her chin with his finger, "You're worried about the boy, aren't you?"

As they stood there, talking, they didn't notice Ari as he hid out of their sight, listening.

"Yes," she said, nodding slightly.

"I warned him," he said, hand falling, "but I held back."

Hearing this, she blinked along with Ari.

"I could have killed that disobedient little bastard, but you... don't want me to."

Smiling softly, she moved forward without thinking, hugging the demon tightly. For a moment, all he could do was stand with his arms out-stretched from surprise, but he slowly embraced her, reluctant to let go.

Once they moved away, the demon turned his back to her, hiding his flushed cheeks. There was no way he could let her see him blushing like that.

Ari, however, could see it perfectly clear.

"Let us go, slave," Stan finally announced, "to the Shadowlands."

* * *

Now entering the Shadowlands, Navy could see nothing but grey.

All around them, the scattered plant life was grey, both ground and sky grey, and the water in a stone fountain grey as well.

Stepping back as he faced her, Stan's arms opened, "Welcome to my domain."

Looking around, she seemed to feel an eerie silence as the wind whistled.

"It's very... _grey_," she said, the demon chuckling.

"This entire world is formed of shadow," he told her. "Both you and I are made up of shadow as well."

Turning, he looked out over his world, "Our very beings, you and I, are a manifestation of shadow."

Facing her, he crossed his arms, "Let's go, slave. My castle is--"

"_Castle_?" she asked, eyes lighting up with wonder.

To this, he smiled with pride, "Of _course_, slave. What is a king without a castle?"

Suddenly, a noise rose from behind them, a large group of people dressed in all black and white clothing stopping before the two.

With them came six men carrying a very royal-looking litter, two to a pole.

"Your Highness!" the man in front addressed Stan. "We received news of your return and have come to escort you to your kingdom."

Then the entire crowd of men bowed on one knee before them.

Looking up, the man spied Navy, snapping. Moving back, the rest of the crowd made way for the six men carrying the litter.

"We welcome you to our land, my--"

"Wait!" Stan shouted nervously.

Walking forward, he spoke softly to the man who was in charge of the group, soon turning to Navy.

"What's wrong?" she asked curiously.

He smiled, "Minor details. Now come and sit."

Gesturing to the litter as the men set it down, he watched her blink.

"_Me_?" she asked him.

"Yes, slave, sit."

Unsure of this, she made her way over to the litter and sat on a comfy purple seat, Stan moving beside her.

Snapping, he looked to her, the litter rising as they began their trip to his castle...

* * *

Minutes into their ride, Navy looked to the demon, "Is the water here safe to drink?"

Nodding, he snapped, the procession stopping as one of the men walking near the litter rushed over to them.

"Fetch me a glass of water for the demoness."

Without reply, the servant quickly made his way to a stream, Navy watching with wonder.

"But he doesn't have a--"

"Watch," the demon interrupted, Navy returning her gaze to the servant.

Taking sand from the ground, the man shaped it into a drinking glass, focusing on the object a moment as it glowed a pitch black. Soon, however, the glowing ceased and a sturdy glass was left behind.

In awe, Navy looked to Stan, "How did he do that?"

"Just as a shadow is formed of light and darkness, the land can be manipulated by dark and light magic."

Returning to the litter, the servant then offered the glass to her, Navy taking it and feeling how smooth the texture was.

"_Amazing_," she muttered, Stan smiling with a hint of evil.

He found her reactions to their homeland rather amusing.

"Drink," he ordered, Navy cautiously sipping from the glass.

It tasted just like normal water.

"Would you like more?" asked a servant.

"No, thank you," she said, giving the glass back to the servant who stared at her oddly.

"_You_. Quit staring," Stan commanded, the servant immediately following orders.

Looking to Navy, he smirked, "Servants here are not treated as equals, thus you've no need to thank them."

Blinking, she blushed, embarrassed she'd already done something wrong.

Simply smiling, the Evil King snapped, the procession carrying on once more...

* * *

Once they arrived into a sort of town, Navy noticed how small it was, all the buildings made of the same grey substance, a large building farther off.

It seemed that was the castle.

Then she noticed more shadow demons coming out to see their king.

"Navy," Stan said, gaining her attention. "There is a man here who will give you your true name, as is tradition in my land... Now that you are a shadow demon, it's time for you to know the name you should be known by."

"O-Okay," she answered, finding this all a little strange...


	19. In The Cards

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen - In The Cards**

* * *

Once the litter stopped in front of a building that reminded her of a church, Navy was soon being led to stand and inside it by the demon.

Inside, the one room in the place looked like a normal room, nothing but the walls a grey substance.

There were chairs strewn about, one small table at the end of the room, all wooden, a man sitting behind the table.

Leading her forward as he held her hand, Stan stopped before the table.

"This woman is one of our kind," he said, looking over to her. "Reveal her name, Seer."

Still looking around, she heard the man's title, looking to him. He seemed like your average, run-of-the-mill Tarot card reader, cards strewn about over the table.

"Come here and write your name," came a gruff voice from the man with a blonde beard.

He looked old, yet his hair was all blonde and flowing...

"My _name_? ...I don't _know_ my name," she answered, the man looking rather surprised.

"You don't know your name?"

She nodded, "I came from another world, and--"

"She forgot her name when she came to this world," Stan interrupted. "The one she goes by here will have to do."

Shuffling his cards, the man nodded, returning to his work.

He soon placed four cards on the table face down, forming a diamond.

"Write your full name on this," he said, finger placed to a strip of paper. "Do not speak it."

Almost moving to write, she hesitated.

Something flashed in her memory.

Hearing a voice, it called out her name.

"I remember," she whispered, speaking up. "I remember my name."

"_Hm_?" the old man hummed.

Watching the woman, the servant motioned to the paper once more, "Write it and turn it over."

After doing as told, she moved back, Stan watching from behind.

He wondered why she could suddenly remember.

"How many letters in the first?" the servant asked.

Thinking a moment, she replied, "Seven."

Shuffling his deck once more, he began to place more cards on the table, lining them up near the top card of the diamond.

Three cards were to each side, grouped slightly away from it.

He then looked up, "The second?"

"Six."

The man quirked a brow, whispering to himself, "How rare."

Shuffling the deck, he took two off the top, placing them in a group to the left of the diamond's middle cards.

Repeating this, he placed two in the center, then two to the right.

"And the last?" he inquired of the demoness, eyes studying her curiously.

"Four."

Blinking, the man seemed a bit surprised.

"Such perfect spacing," he mused, looking down to his cards. "Could it _be_?"

"Quit babbling, gypsy!" Stan barked, the servant quickly carrying on.

After shuffling again, he placed two cards to each side of the last card in the diamond.

Shuffling yet again, he looked up, "Come here."

Doing as told, she walked closer, the servant fanning out the deck.

"Choose two cards," he ordered. "Place them sideways, face down, in the center of the diamond over the two cards."

Selecting two cards, she laid each down as instructed, his hands shuffling again.

"The total of the letters is seventeen," he said, fanning out the deck. "Choose one card and place it face up in the very middle."

Complying yet again, she sat the card down, the man nodding.

"That is all," he said in conclusion. "The form is finished."

Moving back, she wondered what would come of it, Stan's eyes resting on her again.

He could remember the time he'd seen the last Seer and had this rite done, though it was so long ago...

"The center card has verified that you are one of us," stated the gypsy. "It tells that you have great power, though it lies dormant."

"_Power_?" she asked, hand to her chest.

She hadn't expecting anything like _this_.

"Yes," he affirmed, removing the card and placing it off to the side, face up.

He then turned the sideways cards up. Shock was written on his face.

"How can your number be--?" he asked, gazing at the woman. "It's impossible."

"What do you see?" Stan asked impatiently.

The gypsy looked to his king, "Her number isn't one."

Surprised, Stan looked to her, confusion in her eyes.

"What does that mean?" asked the demoness, looking back and forth between them.

"Your number should be one. It would signify that you were the first of your line," the man explained. "But the cards say your number is ten."

"But she doesn't have a _lineage_!" the Evil King exclaimed. "She doesn't even come from this _world_!"

"You're wrong," a voice answered, the three looking to the door to see one of their kind.

He wore black and white clothes like Stan's, only two flaps each on each side to his collar and two golden buttons on the jacket.

His hair was slightly shorter than Stan's, though still blonde, and was quite spiky, two unruly bangs dipped over his forehead. The two bangs pointed outwards, the tips brushing his thin, yellow eyebrows.

"What the--?" Stan growled, the other shadow demon smirking.

"Look at the cards," the other demon commanded, pointing to the Seer. "Reveal her name."

Turning back to the Seer, Stan ordered him to do so, the man quickly carrying on.

Moving away the previous cards, he turned all but the shape of the diamond and the inner two cards upward.

Carefully, he discerned their meaning.

"In light, she leaves the Otherworld. In darkness, she will come," he said. "In shadow, she will be reborn."

"_What_?" Stan muttered, clearly confused.

"I came here in a blinding light," Navy told him, Stan looking over. "When I got here, I was in darkness."

"Go on, Seer," Stan urged.

Moving away the cards he'd turned up, he turned up the inner cards.

"Two shadows," told the servant, looking up. "One path."

Instinctively, Stan and the shadow demon in the doorway looked at one another.

Silently, both simply came to understand the other's goal.

Stan immediately hated the stranger, and the stranger hated Stan.

Continuing, the Seer moved away the cards, only the four of the diamond left.

He then began to announce her name as he turned over each of the remaining cards.

"Spooky," he announced, Navy twitching.

Something felt strange, her hands aching.

"Trista," he called again, her teeth suddenly hurting.

"Maleficent," concluded the Seer, looking up to the demoness.

At this, her ears began to burn and pained her so much that she fell to the floor.

Seeing her on her knees, Stan finally caught sight of what was happening to her.

Her nails had grown out like claws, slowly turning black, and her ears had become longer and pointed, like his.

"Ahh!" she cried out, holding her head.

Moving toward her, both the stranger and Evil King called a name.

Stan had said her new name, but the stranger had called her "Kat."

"Ah! My... head... _Ahhh_!" she shouted, pain coursing through her body.

Hands on her shoulders, the stranger embraced her, "I know it's painful, Kat, but soon we'll be together again."

Oddly enough, Stan ignored him, making sure not to touch her, "Are you alright, slave?"

"Uhn? You're so... _loud_," she muttered.

Speaking in a whisper, he asked again, Spooky nodding.

Even though she'd become more like a shadow demon, her hair, eyes and skin tone remained the same.

"I'm okay," she said softly. "But why is this guy _hugging_ me?"

Flinching, she winced, muttering softly, "Please stop."

Growling, the Evil King glared at the man.

Actually thinking about it, he didn't like it either.

"Get the hell off her," he growled, magic tightening over the man's hands and causing him to release her shoulders.

Then, with one swift motion, Stan led it to throw him completely away from her.

"Is that better?" he asked, Spooky nodding.

"You didn't have to _throw_ him, though," the demoness said, looking to the stranger.

Wincing, she found it was hard to simply turn her head.

"If I'm so _powerful_, why does this hurt so freaking _much_?"

At his slight laughing, Stan caught her attention, her head turning to him slowly and giving him a view of her new appearance.

His jaw almost went slack.

"You look..." the Demon King trailed off, unable to describe it.

"Still like a freak?" she muttered, looking down.

She knew she still had the same hair, those two sections of blue bangs still as strange as ever, and her skin was still overly pale.

"No," he said, seeing her eyes rest on his. "You look... _beautiful_."

Quickly looking down again, her cheeks turned pink, the smile she caught on his lips from the corner of her eye only turning them red...

* * *

To the side, the man on the floor stared at the wall.

'_Kat is __**mine**__,_' he thought. '_No damn sorry excuse for an Evil King is going to **change** that._'

He could hear them talk as he growled.

* * *

"Are you alright now?" Stan asked, brow creased with concern.

Nodding, she examined her new nails, "Yeah, I'm better."

* * *

From the side, the man at the wall had heard her.

Moving, he turned over. He had hit his upper arm on the wall hard and the jagged texture had sliced open his jacket and skin.

Still, he had to turn over. He had to see her face.

But what he saw only made him angry.

His arm aching as he tried to push himself up, he winced and fell back down, Spooky looking over.

Suddenly she pulled herself up, moving to a stand, though her knees shook.

It took only seconds for her to fall back down, the Evil King too late to catch her.

"You shouldn't move," he said, but she shook her head.

"No," she insisted. "I have to..."

Biting back a groan, she moved onto her hands and knees, crawling over to the stranger.

Finally sitting up, legs to the side, she saw the extent of the man's wound.

"Are you alright?" she asked, his head nodding as he looked up at her.

The Evil King had been right; she was beautiful.

"I'm sorry," she apologized with a sympathetic smile. "I didn't mean for you to get thrown... Stan's _just_..."

"_Protective_?" the man questioned.

"Yes. He's protective of his property," she told him, reaching down and tearing at her shirt.

Watching, Stan could only wonder why she had bothered to help that damn man.

Did she even _know_ him?

Using her torn shirt as a rag, she dabbed gently at the blood on the stranger's arm, "So, what's your name?"

The man sighed, seemingly disappointed, "You don't remember me, _do_ you?"

"_Should_ I?" she asked, pausing her movement a moment.

As she continued, she wondered who he was and how he could possibly know her.

"I haven't really known any shadow demons... except Stan."

"I knew you," the stranger finally answered. "Back on earth, I mean."

Stopping, she stared at him, "_What_?"

He smiled, "You and I were always together. We went to school together, lived together... You slept in my bed with me when your parents were away."

"D-... _Derrick_?"

Nodding, he smiled wider, Spooky so happy to see him that she hugged him.

Wincing, he watched her move away.

"Oh my-- I'm so stupid!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry! Is it--?"

"It's fine, Spooky," Derrick said, moving up to a sit carefully.

Once he managed that, he moved forward and embraced her.

"_Damn_, I've missed you," he said softly, lips brushing across her ear before moving to kiss her neck.

As he moved away, he kissed her cheek, but suddenly kissed her lips deeply.

Her lips, however, didn't reply, her eyes wide.

Once he moved back, she blinked.

"I... I'm sorry," he told her, looking away. "It's just..."

As he looked up, he couldn't help but smile at her, "I've just missed you so much, Spooky."

"I've missed you, _too_, Derrick," she said, returning the smile.

"You were on earth so that you could open the portal to the Otherworld for the Evil King, Spooky. Your memory was erased, but I knew... I couldn't tell you. I had to wait for you to fulfill your destiny," he explained, hoping she wouldn't be angry with him.

"Oh. Well... It's okay," she said softly. "I understand."

"Spooky," he whispered, "You and I... are betrothed."

Blinking, she blushed, "_What_?"

"Before you were on earth, you were promised to me, and I followed you to earth to fulfill my duty," Derrick told her. "I live to protect you."

Watching the two, Stan was becoming increasingly aggravated; he could tell this other shadow demon was going to defy him soon...

"You can't be a slave to Trinidad, Spooky, because you belong to me," Derrick said, moving to embrace her. "The male of our kind are master over their mate and you were promised to me."

Growling, Stan summoned up dark magic and used it to pull the other demon from her, tossing him aside.

"I am your _King_, boy," Stan growled, going to Spooky. "This woman is my property."

"Stan, _please_," she begged. "Please don't hurt him."

Turning her head by the chin, away from the other demon, he looked in her eyes, "The cards spoke of this conflict... If he chooses to disobey, I will be forced to fight for you."

"_Fight_ for me?" she asked, looking to Derrick. "But _why_?"

"This is the way it has to be settled, Spooky," Derrick said, sitting up as he held his arm. "He's known that this could happen from the moment he called you his slave."

"_What_?" Spooky asked, looking confused.

All of this was too much to grasp.

"Did you ever stop to wonder why he calls you a slave and not _just_ a servant like the rest of his people?" Derrick asked the demoness, used to her naive nature. "It's because he's claimed you... Why _else_ would he bring you here but to make you his?"

Stan growled, "Shut the hell up, Thorne! It's not your place to--"

"It's not my place? She was promised to _me_!" Derrick shouted, Spooky simply staring at the floor.

"Spooky," Stan said, watching her. "You agreed to be my slave _completely_."

"She didn't know what that _meant_, you idiot Evil King," the demon growled.

"Shut up!" Stan barked at the inferior demon, returning his golden gaze to Spooky.

"He's wrong," he said, moving onto his knees at her side. "I claimed you to protect you, because... I care about you."

Hearing this, she looked over to him, finding his eyes were on the floor.

"I brought you here to protect you from the Great Hero, and I intend for you to stay," he said, looking to her face. "I want you to live in the castle where you'll be safe."

"He's just trying to take you away from me," Derrick growled out, glaring at his King.

Looking to Derrick, Spooky sighed, "He's telling the truth... I know him and I know he's not lying."

Sitting up, Derrick pulled himself to a stand, keeping his eyes on her, "Let me tell you the truth about yourself before this _idiot_ prevents me from it..."


	20. Drama 101

**A/N:** I revised this old story - fixed the format, spelling mistakes, grammar, etc. - and revised the last chapter so I could put in an epilogue as I should have done to _begin_ with.

Back then, I was too bubbly and should have been blonde. Heh.

I hope the new formatting is easier on the eyes and brain.

Later.

* * *

**Boku to Maoh: Blue Demon**

_**by Syrenia**_

* * *

**Epilogue - Drama 101**

* * *

Growling, Stan held himself back as Spooky went to Derrick's side, Derrick embracing her as he continued, "You are the blue demon - the one believed by our people to be capable of opening portals between worlds... The portal connecting earth and this world is but _one_ you've opened... And I am the one you were promised to from birth, Spooky. I am your mas-"

"_I_ am her master," Stan's voice interrupted, Spooky quickly pulling away from Derrick.

"Sta-- I mean, _master_... I--" the demoness tried to speak, interrupted by the Evil King.

"You disobey me _still_, boy?" Stan asked as he walked over to the two.

"Spooky, he can't be your master," Derrick said, turning her head. "You were promised to _me_."

"_You're_ my master?" she asked, becoming more and more confused.

For once, she seemed so innocent, completely torn between the two.

"Yes," Derrick replied, drowning out Stan's "no."

Finally growling, Stan pulled the demoness into his arms.

"You've already agreed to be my slave," he said, looking down into her eyes. "Whatever he was to you means nothing now... I'm your master."

"O-Okay," she whispered, Stan holding her as he snarled at the other demon.

"_Damn_ you, Trinidad. You _know_ she belongs to me," Derrick growled, taking her hand and leading her to him.

"You know I am your _King_, the ruler of our people, yet you continue to disobey?" Stan asked, Spooky looking to him.

"You're... my King," she reminded herself, moving away from Derrick.

"Yes," replied the Evil King, "and as such, I have claimed you."

"Claimed her?" echoed the other demon, surprised, but soon angered. "You idiot Evil King."

Moving past Spooky, Stan stood in front of the other demon, his claws to Derrick's neck.

"Go on, boy; tempt me to kill you," Stan growled.

"You'll never be _half_ the King that Gohma was," replied Derrick with a sneer.

Stan merely sneered in return, nails cutting flesh just enough to make him bleed, "Big words from such a small threat."

"Don't be so _sure_ of that, Trinidad. As long as you stand between me and my mate, I'll be your worst enemy," Derrick warned the other shadow demon. "She belongs to me."

All the while, Spooky watched, suddenly shoving them both away from each other.

"Stop it!" she shouted. "Just _stop_ it, okay?"

Growling, she shook, her eyes beginning to glow a dark blue, "I don't belong to _either_ of you imbeciles."

She then looked to Derrick, "Being betrothed means just as much as a _promise_ to our kind, you idiot. Don't expect me to care."

"And _you_," she snarled, looking to Stan. "My words are _nothing_. They mean _nothing_. You got that, stupid Evil King?"

Slowly the two demon's eyes began to glow golden in response to hers, her evil aura flaring up and sparking theirs.

"Well, don't you two dipshits have anything to say?" asked the demoness in an aggravated tone, looking from one to the other.

Before she knew it, she had two demons pinning her back to the wall.

Slowly, her evil faded, eyes returning to normal.

"What the hell just happened?" she asked, the pair's evil grins making her shiver.

Their glowing eyes fading, Spooky watched the two demons.

After his eyes became normal, Stan took her by the hand, "You're my slave."

"No," Derrick growled. "She's mine."

"Oh, _hell_. Here we go again," she muttered, pulling out of Stan's grasp and getting away from the wall.

"I remember about our kind," Spooky announced, standing behind them as they faced her. "Promises mean nothing, so anything said to _either_ of you means nothing."

"She's right," Derrick muttered, looking to Stan. "We have to settle this the _usual_ way."

Spooky blinked, "What's the _usual_ way?"

"We fight to the death," Derrick told her, the demoness looking nervous.

"No, please don't fight each other. _Please_," she begged, Stan crossing his arms.

"Fine," he said. "Then how do you propose we settle this?"

Quickly, the demoness thought of a way to stop them from having to fight...

"You know what?" Spooky asked, hands to her hips. "I'm _sick_ of this drama."

The two blinked, exchanging a bewildered glance as the demoness tapped her finger to her lips in thought.

"What we need is a good plan to help Stan take over this world before we go to conquer earth," she said, hoping this would lead them away from any fighting.

"Any ideas?" Stan questioned, ever eager to hear an evil plan.

Derrick looked disbelieving, "You really want to help him take over?"

"Of _course_!" she exclaimed, shrugging. "That was part of that "_destiny_" crap, right?"

"You haven't changed a bit," Derrick laughed. "As long as that's what you want to do, I'll join you until I can fight him."

To that, Stan growled in disapproval.

"Cut the drama 101, Stan," Spooky commanded, Stan looking grumpy and confused all at once. "The funnest way to take over the world would be through making a band and hypnotizing the audiences until everyone was bowing down to Stan. Then we could take over and make the heroes hunted _outlaws_!"

"I _like_ it," Stan said in approval, nodding as he crossed his arms.

"That's just crazy enough to _work_," added Derrick with a smirk.

Spooky smiled, "Then let's get some of Stan's old team, except parasol _porky_, and start the band!"

And so it was that a whole new, less _dramatic_ adventure began right smack dab in the middle of destiny's plot for the blue demon...


End file.
